By Iyoho Emmanuel
ABUJA — President of the Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Mrs Faith Osazuwa-Ojo, has called for increased investment, stronger partnerships and sustained action to address inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in Nigerian schools.
She said every Nigerian child eserved a safe, healthy and dignified learning environment, stressing that the absence of basic water and sanitation facilities exposed pupils to preventable diseases and disrupted their education.
Osazuwa-Ojo made the call at LAPO’s 33rd Annual Development Forum, held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The forum, with the theme, “Safe Water, Healthy Learning: Advancing WASH in Nigerian Schools,” focused on the need to improve access to safe water, adequate sanitation and proper hygiene facilities in schools across the country.
Citing the 2021 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) report, published in June 2022, the LAPO president disclosed that only 37 per cent of Nigerian schools had access to basic water supply services.
She added that only 35 per cent had access to basic sanitation services, while just 30 per cent provided basic hygiene services, including handwashing facilities with soap and water.
Osazuwa-Ojo further revealed that only about 15 per cent of schools had budgeted funds for the maintenance of their WASH facilities, raising concerns about the sustainability of existing infrastructure.
The report was produced by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the National Bureau of Statistics, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank.
According to her, the statistics represent the daily challenges faced by millions of Nigerian children who attend schools without access to clean drinking water, decent toilets and adequate handwashing facilities.
She warned that such conditions could accelerate the spread of preventable diseases, affect school attendance and undermine effective learning.
The LAPO president stressed that children could not reach their full potential in environments that failed to protect their health, dignity and well-being.
She said addressing the challenge required collective responsibility, urging government authorities, development partners and other stakeholders to commit greater resources and sustained attention to improving school WASH facilities.
“That is why this year’s theme resonates deeply with us. It is more than the focus of this forum; it is a call for stronger partnerships, greater investment and sustained action to ensure that every Nigerian school becomes a place where children can learn, grow and thrive,” she said.
Osazuwa-Ojo explained that LAPO’s mission of “improving lives” informed its commitment to promoting a safe and healthy environment for every child, regardless of age, status or background.
She noted that Nigeria’s future depended not only on policies formulated by government but also on the actions taken today to safeguard the next generation.
“If we are truly committed to raising a generation that is healthy, productive and equipped to lead Nigeria into a brighter future, then we must begin by ensuring that every school is a place of dignity, safety and opportunity,” she said.
Established in 1994, LAPO’s Annual Development Forum has, for more than three decades, provided a platform for dialogue on critical national development issues, bringing together policymakers, government officials, corporate leaders and other stakeholders to examine challenges and explore practical solutions.
Osazuwa-Ojo reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting efforts to improve learning conditions for Nigerian children, emphasising that every child deserved not only access to education but also a healthy environment in which to learn.
The forum was chaired by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, while Chief Osita Chidoka, Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership and a former Minister of Aviation, served as co-chairperson.
The keynote address was delivered by Zainab Ibrahim Budah, Senior Learning and Development Specialist in the Sports and Health Education Division of the Federal Ministry of Education.