By Abdullahi Lukman
Residents and commuters in several districts of Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital territory, have expressed concern over the continued practice of open defecation due to its attendant environmental hazards.
Areas mentioned are within the Kubwa, Maitama, and Jabi districts of the territory which was attributed to poverty, absence of public toilets, and the activities of roadside truck drivers.
In an interview with NatureNews, residents said open spaces, gutters, and roadsides are often used as makeshift toilets, especially at night and in the early hours of the day.
Ismail Jibrin, a commuter and resident of Jabi, said the cost of using public toilets discourages frequent use.
“We cannot keep paying every time and still spend money treating infections,” he lamented.
Mr Jibrin said many of the available public toilets are poorly maintained, making them unhygienic and unsafe for use.
In his reactions, Suleiman Zakka, a resident of Kubwa, said the condition of some facilities forces people to seek alternatives.
“Some of these toilets are too dirty. People feel it is better to go outside than risk infections,” he said.
Baba Ogiri, a resident of Jabi, attributed the situation partly to truck drivers who park along roadsides overnight.
“Most of this happens at night. These truck drivers stop here and use nearby bushes and gutters because there are no toilets around,” he said.
Findings indicate that many parts of the affected areas lack adequate public sanitation facilities, while existing ones are often poorly maintained or inaccessible.
Recent reports indicate that over 45 million Nigerians still practise open defecation as of 2025, reflecting slow progress in addressing sanitation challenges across the country.
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has maintained that Nigeria requires millions of additional toilets to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status under its “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign.
Health experts warn that the practice poses serious risks, including the spread of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, and typhoid, as well as environmental pollution.
Residents have called on authorities to provide affordable and accessible public toilets, improve maintenance of existing facilities, and enforce sanitation regulations.
