Abuja: Self Help Africa (SHA) on Thursday called for strengthened Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems in Nigeria, emphasizing that sustainable progress relies on coordinated action, accountability, and innovative approaches. Mrs. Joy Aderele, Country Director of the organization, made this appeal during the opening of the 2025 National WASH Sector Learning Forum in Abuja, themed “Change Mechanism and Measuring Change.”
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Aderele stated that the forum represents a collective determination to rethink and enhance structures necessary for delivering resilient and inclusive WASH services across the nation. She highlighted that true change occurs when people unite with a shared purpose and commitment to modify outdated work methods. The WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme in Nigeria and Sierra Leone has demonstrated that improved systems, enhanced capacities, and reformed policies can sustain community development long after the program concludes in 2027. Despite recorded progress, she expressed concern that only 158 out of more than 700 local government areas (LGAs) are certified Open Defecation Free (ODF).
Aderele encouraged participants to address barriers, share evidence-based solutions, and commit to building systems that will serve communities for generations. Jill Fletcher, Head of Human Development and Demography at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), indicated that the WS4H Programme in West Africa has had a significant impact across its operational areas. Fletcher noted the importance of leadership, accountability, and collective effort in achieving meaningful systems transformation in Nigeria.
Afou Bengaly, Strategic Adviser, IRC WASH Facility, described the forum as a platform for cross-country knowledge sharing, focusing on understanding and tracking change mechanisms. The aim is to produce practical strategies for strengthening monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning systems, and coordination.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, represented by Permanent Secretary Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, highlighted the need for reliable systems to generate data and ensure accountability. Utsev warned that weak data reliability and the absence of a recent WASHNORM assessment hinder effective planning, urging deeper collaboration and the scaling of successful projects.
SHA Consortium Manager Mr. Shadrack Guusu provided an update on the £5 million WASH Systems for Health Programme, focusing on policy planning, rural water supply, sanitation, governance, and climate resilience. He emphasized improving access for women and girls and reported achievements such as policy reviews and strengthened coordination platforms.
The forum brought together government officials, civil society groups, researchers, development partners, and private sector actors to share best practices and strengthen collaboration within the WASH sector. Goodwill messages were delivered by various stakeholders, highlighting the critical importance of WASH systems for development and humanity.