The programme also recorded remarkable progress in public financing for the sector, helping to secure a 211 per cent increase in budgetary allocation for water and sanitation in Cross River State and a 169.07 per cent increase in Kano State’s 2026 budget.
By TheInvestigator
More than 320,000 residents of Cross River and Kano states have gained access to safe and reliable water supply through the WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) programme implemented by Self Help Africa, marking a significant milestone in efforts to improve WASH services in Nigeria.
The programme also recorded remarkable progress in public financing for the sector, helping to secure a 211 per cent increase in budgetary allocation for water and sanitation in Cross River State and a 169.07 per cent increase in Kano State’s 2026 budget.
Speaking at the WS4H National Learning and Dissemination Workshop, the Country Director of Self Help Africa, Joy Aderele, said the two-year intervention had strengthened WASH governance, expanded access to basic sanitation and laid a foundation for sustainable service delivery in both states.
According to her, the project facilitated the construction of over 5,520 household toilets in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State and Makoda Local Government Area of Kano State, significantly improving sanitation and contributing to efforts to eliminate open defecation.
Aderele noted that despite various interventions across the country, millions of Nigerians, particularly those in rural communities, still lack access to safe water and sanitation services. She identified climate change, inadequate funding and weak institutional capacity as some of the major challenges limiting progress in the sector.
She explained that the WS4H programme worked closely with federal, state and local governments, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen governance structures, improve planning and financing, promote policy reforms and enhance accountability in the WASH sector.
Among the programme’s notable achievements, she said, were the review and adoption of updated WASH policies in both states, alongside the development and launch of WASH Financing Strategies and Basic Sanitation Access Roadmaps aimed at increasing investments and expanding access to services.
Aderele also highlighted important legislative milestones recorded during the intervention, including the passage of the Water Law and the Open Defecation Prohibition Bill, describing them as critical steps towards strengthening the legal and institutional framework for improved WASH service delivery.
She disclosed that strategic WASH development plans were also prepared for participating local government areas to improve planning, encourage local ownership and guide future investments.
According to her, the project’s implementation model has already begun yielding wider impact, with successful interventions piloted in Yala now being replicated in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State.
While acknowledging the programme’s successes, Aderele cautioned that sustaining the gains would require addressing persistent challenges such as inadequate institutional capacity, limited financing, climate-related risks and political transitions.
She urged the Federal Government, state and local governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to deepen collaboration through increased funding, effective implementation of policies and stronger institutional partnerships.
Also speaking, the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Jamilu Habu, stressed the need for sustained collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and local communities to ensure lasting improvements in WASH services across Nigeria.
Habu commended Self Help Africa and its partners for the successful implementation of the WS4H programme, noting that the initiative had strengthened WASH governance through improved coordination, evidence-based planning and enhanced institutional capacity.
He described the workshop as an important platform for stakeholders to evaluate the programme’s achievements, document lessons learned and develop strategies for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of future WASH interventions.
According to him, the innovations, evidence and best practices generated through the programme would support better decision-making and shape future policies, investments and interventions aimed at expanding access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services nationwide.
Habu further encouraged stakeholders to critically examine implementation challenges and the strategies adopted to overcome them, saying such experiences would provide valuable lessons for future programmes.
He also called on partners to sustain the momentum created by the WS4H initiative by replicating successful interventions in other parts of the country and reaffirmed the Federal Ministry’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s WASH systems and accelerate the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation.
