Millions of Nigerian Children Still Lack Safe Water Despite Progress, Group Warns
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
As Nigeria joined other African countries to mark the 2026 Day of the African Child, Carelink Resource Foundation (CRF) has raised concerns over the continued lack of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services for millions of children, warning that inadequate WASH facilities remain a major threat to child health, education and development.
In a statement signed by Silas Spencer Ideva, CRF Director of Programs, the organisation said that although Nigeria has recorded some progress in expanding access to water and sanitation, the gains remain uneven, with rural communities bearing the greatest burden of deprivation.
The foundation noted that access to safe water and sanitation is critical to reducing childhood diseases, improving school attendance and strengthening nutrition outcomes, yet many children still rely on unsafe water sources and poor sanitation facilities.
According to CRF, data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) shows that while access to basic drinking water services has improved nationally, rural areas continue to lag significantly behind. The organisation also pointed to the persistence of open defecation in many communities despite a gradual decline in national figures.
Drawing from its field interventions in Kudan and Igabi Local Government Areas under the Global Fund-supported ACOMIN project, CRF said poor maintenance of water infrastructure, contamination of water sources and weak sanitation systems continue to undermine public health efforts.
The organisation revealed that several communities have benefited from hygiene promotion activities, environmental sanitation campaigns and improved access to boreholes.
However, many of these gains remain vulnerable due to inadequate maintenance funding and the absence of sustainable management structures.
CRF commended the Kaduna State Government for allocating about ₦9.29 billion to WASH-related programmes in the 2026 budget, describing the investment as a positive step toward addressing longstanding infrastructure gaps.
However, the organisation stressed that budgetary commitments must translate into tangible results for citizens.
“Allocations alone will not solve the problem. Stronger budget implementation, transparency, accountability and equitable distribution of resources are necessary to ensure that underserved communities benefit,” the foundation stated.
The group called on federal, state and local governments to prioritize underserved communities, strengthen oversight of WASH spending, invest in the maintenance of existing facilities and expand access to sanitation and hygiene services in schools.
It also advocated for wider adoption of Community-Led Total Sanitation initiatives as part of efforts to end open defecation and improve environmental health outcomes.
Marking this year’s Day of the African Child, CRF emphasized that access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene should not be treated as a privilege but as a fundamental right for every child.
The organisation warned that failure to address existing WASH gaps could continue to expose millions of children to preventable diseases, poor educational outcomes and increased vulnerability, ultimately undermining Nigeria’s human capital development goals.
