Morganable News / communities
1,220 communities in Borno and Yobe states have achieved Open Defecation-Free status, marking a major step towards better sanitation, healthier families and safer living conditions in Northeast Nigeria.
Lagos —
A major sanitation milestone has been recorded in Northeast Nigeria, where 1,220 communities across Borno and Yobe states have been certified Open Defecation-Free (ODF).
The achievement followed interventions under the United Kingdom-funded Multi-sectoral Integrated Nutrition Action for Children, Women and Adolescents in Northeast Nigeria (MINA) project.
UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Borno, Francis Butichi, announced the development on November 2, 2026, during a media dialogue and reporting challenge in Damaturu, Yobe State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the communities attained the status between October 2023 and March 2026.
The achievement represents important progress in a region where poor sanitation, unsafe water and inadequate hygiene facilities continue to expose vulnerable families to preventable diseases.
However, beyond the number of communities recognised, the development raises an important question: how can residents maintain these improvements after the programme ends?
Why Ending Open Defecation Matters
Open defecation occurs when people relieve themselves in open spaces instead of using toilets or other designated sanitation facilities.
Although it may appear to be a simple sanitation problem, its consequences can affect entire communities.
Human waste left in open spaces can contaminate the environment, including nearby water sources. During rainfall, waste can also spread into residential areas, drainage channels and places where children play.
As a result, residents face increased exposure to diseases associated with poor sanitation and contaminated water.
Children are particularly vulnerable. Repeated infections can affect their health, nutrition and development. In communities where access to healthcare is already limited, these problems can place additional pressure on families.
Women and girls also face difficulties when proper toilet facilities are unavailable. They may have to travel long distances or use unsafe locations, exposing them to discomfort, insecurity and a loss of privacy.
Therefore, ending open defecation is not simply about encouraging people to use toilets. It is about protecting public health, promoting dignity and ensuring that everyone can live in a safer environment.
How the MINA Project Supported Communities
The MINA project adopted a broad approach to improving the wellbeing of women, children and adolescents in Borno and Yobe.
Rather than treating malnutrition and poor health as isolated problems, the programme addressed several conditions that affect vulnerable households.
These included maternal and child healthcare, nutrition, access to water, sanitation and hygiene, social behaviour change, gender-based violence prevention and child protection.
This approach is important because good nutrition alone cannot guarantee healthy development.
For instance, a child may receive nutritious meals but continue to suffer from infections caused by contaminated water or poor hygiene.
Such infections can affect the child’s ability to absorb nutrients and recover properly.
By bringing nutrition, sanitation and healthcare interventions together, the programme sought to address some of the conditions that make vulnerable families more susceptible to preventable illnesses.
The project covered 24 local government areas across the two states.
Its sanitation achievement also highlights the importance of community participation. Residents must understand why proper hygiene matters and take responsibility for maintaining cleaner surroundings.
More Support for Women and Children
Beyond sanitation, the programme recorded progress in other areas of healthcare and nutrition.
Butichi disclosed that 14,117 vulnerable women in Yobe received cash transfers to support better dietary choices for their children.
This intervention is particularly relevant to households struggling with the rising cost of food.
For many families, providing balanced meals every day is becoming increasingly difficult. Financial support can help caregivers make better food choices and meet some essential household needs.
The project also supported 219,677 admissions of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition through outpatient and inpatient treatment.
Severe acute malnutrition is a life-threatening condition that requires urgent medical attention and appropriate nutritional care.
In addition, more than 1.6 million children aged six to 59 months received vitamin A supplementation.
Another 1,019,661 children below 24 months received their first measles vaccination through routine immunisation services in the two states.
These figures show how different interventions can work together to protect children and improve their chances of healthy development.
However, they also highlight the continued need for accessible healthcare, proper nutrition and preventive services across vulnerable communities.
The Challenge of Sustaining the Achievement
Although the certification of 1,220 communities is encouraging, maintaining the status will require consistent effort.
One major concern is what happens when external funding and project activities come to an end.
Butichi stressed the importance of community ownership, behavioural change and government commitment in sustaining the gains as the MINA project approaches its conclusion.
This warning deserves attention.
A community does not automatically remain free from open defecation simply because it has received official recognition.
Residents must continue using toilets, maintaining sanitation facilities and practising proper hygiene.
Local authorities also have a responsibility to provide sanitation education, monitor progress and support communities where facilities are inadequate.
For example, damaged toilets or a lack of functional facilities may encourage residents to return to unsafe practices.
Access to clean water is equally important. Families cannot maintain proper hygiene when water is difficult or expensive to obtain.
Therefore, governments must look beyond the number of communities certified and consider whether residents have the resources to sustain the achievement.
Community Participation Is Essential
The development in Borno and Yobe offers an important lesson for other parts of Nigeria.
Public health programmes are more effective when residents understand their purpose and participate actively.
Government agencies and development partners can provide funding, technical support and public education. However, lasting change must also happen within individual households.
Traditional rulers, religious leaders, community associations, schools and health workers all have important roles to play.
Schools, for instance, can teach children the importance of handwashing and proper toilet use. Community leaders can encourage residents to maintain shared facilities, while health workers can explain how poor hygiene contributes to preventable illnesses.
Furthermore, local governments should make sanitation a regular part of their development plans rather than relying entirely on temporary interventions.
These efforts can help reduce preventable diseases and protect communities from avoidable health challenges.
A Milestone That Must Be Protected
The certification of 1,220 communities in Borno and Yobe is a positive development for public health in Northeast Nigeria.
It demonstrates what coordinated interventions, community participation and sustained awareness can achieve.
Nevertheless, the real success of the programme will depend on whether these communities can maintain their progress in the coming years.
As the MINA project approaches its conclusion, governments, community leaders and development partners must work together to protect the gains.
Access to clean water, functional toilets and proper hygiene should not be temporary benefits that disappear when a development programme ends.
They are basic requirements for healthy living.
Ultimately, the goal should go beyond celebrating the number of communities certified. It should be about ensuring that every family, particularly vulnerable women and children, can live in a clean, healthy and safe environment.
