The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed during a stakeholders’ meeting on Accelerating Sanitation Coverage in Cross River State at Hogis Hotel, Calabar, is expected to unlock much-needed capital for sanitation entrepreneurs and strengthen efforts to address the state’s sanitation challenges.
By Frank Ulom
In a significant step towards improving sanitation coverage and expanding private sector participation in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, Ekondo Microfinance Bank and ToiletPride have signed a N35 million financing agreement to support toilet business owners across Cross River State.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed during a stakeholders’ meeting on Accelerating Sanitation Coverage in Cross River State at Hogis Hotel, Calabar, is expected to unlock much-needed capital for sanitation entrepreneurs and strengthen efforts to address the state’s sanitation challenges.
The initiative, supported by the Cross River State Government and development partner Self Help Africa (SHA), will provide access to finance for Toilet Business Owners (TBOs), enabling them to expand their operations, increase the availability of sanitation facilities, and create employment opportunities within local communities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director of Ekondo Microfinance Bank, Charles Efedodama, described the partnership as a strategic investment in public health and community development.
According to him, the agreement demonstrates the bank’s commitment to supporting initiatives that deliver both social and economic benefits.
“Today’s ceremony marks another important step in our collective commitment towards improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene services within our communities,” Efedodama said.
He noted that improved sanitation infrastructure remains critical to healthier communities and sustainable development, adding that the financing package would provide sanitation entrepreneurs with the resources needed to scale their businesses and serve more households.
“We are confident that this partnership will create opportunities for inclusive financing, community empowerment and improved living standards for our people,” he added.
For ToiletPride, the agreement addresses one of the biggest obstacles facing sanitation entrepreneurs, limited access to affordable finance.
Executive Director of ToiletPride, Chukwuma Nnanna, said the organisation’s work over the past two years in Cross River, particularly in Yala Local Government Area, had revealed financing as a major barrier to the growth of sanitation enterprises.
While ToiletPride and its partners had successfully mobilised and organised toilet business owners, access to capital remained elusive.
“The greatest challenge we have not been able to address effectively is access to funding and financing that will enable sanitation businesses to expand,” Nnanna said.
He explained that several financial institutions were approached before Ekondo Microfinance Bank agreed to develop a financing model tailored specifically for sanitation entrepreneurs.
“The result of those engagements is what we are witnessing today. This partnership opens a new chapter for sanitation businesses in Cross River State,” he said.
Nnanna expressed optimism that the initiative would attract more investors into the sanitation economy while improving access to safe and hygienic sanitation services in underserved communities.
The Cross River State Commissioner for Water Resources, Barr Bassey Mensah, commended the bank for taking a bold step into sanitation financing but stressed the need for accountability and effective monitoring to ensure that beneficiaries utilise the funds for their intended purposes.
“Are we going to use the funds for the purpose it is meant for? That is fundamental,” Mensah stated.
He warned that diversion of funds could undermine the objectives of the programme and urged implementing partners to establish strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
“There should be checks and balances. We cannot continue investing resources without seeing a measurable impact on the lives of the people,” he said.
Also speaking, Cross River State Coordinator of Self Help Africa, Ferdinand Anok, described the agreement as one of the first tangible outcomes of the WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme currently being implemented in the state.
According to Anok, the programme seeks to strengthen governance systems and promote sustainable financing models capable of addressing long-standing sanitation challenges.
He noted that the recently launched Cross River State WASH Financing Strategy recognises private sector investment as a critical component in closing the huge funding gap within the sector.
“There is a huge financing gap. The government alone cannot bridge it. Development partners alone cannot bridge it. Sustainable progress requires private sector participation,” he said.
Anok praised Ekondo Microfinance Bank for pioneering what he described as an innovative financing solution capable of transforming sanitation service delivery in the state.
“This partnership is a proof of concept. If it succeeds, it will demonstrate that financial institutions can play a significant role in financing sanitation enterprises and improving sanitation outcomes across the state,” he added.
Stakeholders at the meeting described the N35 million financing facility as a potential game-changer for sanitation businesses, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to improved sanitation facilities remains limited.
Representatives of the Yala Local Government Council, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA), State Task Group on WASH (STG-WASH), Network of Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), State Planning Commission, Toilet Business Owners Network and the WASH Media Network expressed confidence that the initiative would strengthen sanitation enterprises, improve service delivery and contribute to better public health outcomes across Cross River State.
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