WaterAid Nigeria rolls out project to improve public health in Lagos State

on
9 December 2022
HR Manager, PepsiCo Foundation, Olugbenga Akinsanyo giving his speech
Image: WaterAid/Harry

4 November 2022, Nigeria- WaterAid Nigeria with support from the PepsiCo Foundation is launching a project targeted at improving public health in Lagos State. The project will be implemented through the provision of water and sanitation facilities as well as hygiene promotion and education to improve hygiene behaviours in the state. The project is expected to reach about 43,000 people with improved water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

Lagos State is one of the largest cities in Sub-Saharan Africa and the most populous city in Nigeria. The rapid, unpredictable, and unplanned population growth in small towns as well as limited government capacity has added pressure on limited WASH infrastructure, coupled with lack of maintenance and overuse.

According to the 2021 WASHNORM statistics, 55% of households in Lagos State have access to safely managed water supply services, only 15% of households in Lagos have access to safely managed sanitation services, and only 35% of people have access to hygiene services.

The lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene services disproportionately affects women and girls as they are culturally saddled with the responsibility of walking miles in search of these services particularly water. A UNICEF study showed that women and girls collectively spend 200million hours a day fetching water which considerably shortens the time available to spend with their families, other household tasks, or incoming-generating activities, helping lift themselves and their families out of poverty. For girls, water collection takes time away from their education and sometimes even prevents them from attending school altogether as well as the risk of being exposed to diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery, and other water-borne diseases from contaminated water sources.

WaterAid in collaboration with government, WASH stakeholders and civil society partners, will undertake its intervention with emphasis on improving access to sustainable, reliable, and affordable water, sanitation, and hygiene services through the rehabilitation of water schemes, toilets in public places. The project will build the capacity of women to be part of decision-making processes, also empower them with WASH-related businesses. Furthermore, people in the state will be reached with hygiene education and Environmental Health Clubs (EHC) in schools established to improve public health in the state.

The project will capitalise on a strong foundation for efficient partnerships to influence and strengthen the WASH sector in Lagos State for the expansion of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Evelyn Mere
Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Evelyn Mere giving her speech at the launch of the PepsiCo-funded project

Evelyn Mere, Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, said:

“One in ten people still don’t have even a basic supply of clean water close to home. A lack of access to this life-saving service means women are left to bear the brunt of walking miles and spending valuable hours in collecting water. A time that should spent on other household tasks, or incoming-generating activities, helping lift themselves and their families out of poverty.  

Everyone can live a more fulfilled, dignified and healthy life, with the opportunities that having sustainable and safe water, sanitation and hygiene brings. WaterAid Nigeria, will continue to collaborate to transform lives, deliver on desired health and sanitation outcomes in Lagos State.”

Olujimi Taiwo, General Manager of PepsiCo in Nigeria said:

“As a company we know how important water is to every community, and our vision for the future is that wherever in the world PepsiCo operates, water resources will be better off because we are there. This collaboration with WaterAid is at the heart of our goal to reach 100 million people globally with safe water access by 2030 through the PepsiCo Foundation and our partners. It also contributes to the UN SDG #6 − to ensure the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all.

We look forward to witnessing how this initiative will positively impact thousands of people in Lagos State.”

/ENDS

For more information, please contact:  

Oluseyi Abdulmalik, Communications & Media Manager, , +234 8034312391

 

Notes to Editors:

Established in 1962, the PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we are focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunities. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at https://www.pepsico.com/our-impact/philanthropy/pepsico-foundation.

WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. The international not-for-profit organisation works in 28 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 27 million people with clean water and 27 million people with decent toilets. For more information, visit , ; follow @WaterAidNigeria, @WaterAid or @WaterAidPress on Twitter, or visit us on Facebook at

* In Nigeria:

  • Only 10% of the population has access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
  • 68 million people (33% of the population) lack access to basic drinking water services.
  • 113 million people (55% of the population) lack decent toilets.
  • 48 million people (23% of the population) practice open defecation.
  • 171 million people (83% of the population) lack basic handwashing facilities.
  • Only 11% of schools have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
  • Only 6% of healthcare facilities have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
  • Only 4% of parks and markets have access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

* 2021 WASH National Outcome Routine Mapping Survey (WASH NORMS)