In a panel discussion on Scaling Sanitation Economy for National Development, moderated by Dr. Nickolas Igwe, National Coordinator of the Organized Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (OPS-WASH), panellists highlighted the advantages of a suitable sanitary system, including improved public health and wellness.
Sanitation experts lamented insufficient investments in the sanitation value chain, which has decreased African Gross Domestic Product, GDP, over time, as the 2-day World Toilet Summit got underway in Abuja on Friday. They emphasized that in several nations, notably India, the sanitation economy is progressively rising to the top.
They contend that if the industry were properly promoted, it would provide a cure for unemployment and lessen sickness rates in the general population.
Tim O’ Neil, one of the panellist, stated that investment is necessary to transform the sanitation industry. O’Neill likewise pushed banks and other industries to make investments in the area.
Adegbe Micheal, a different participant, claimed that Nigeria’s sanitation sub-sector is still ripe for the picking and, if fully developed, could generate $26.1 billion in revenue by 2030.
What we really need right now is a transformation, he continued, where we make sure that the private sector has the chance to finance, provide, and transport sanitation.
Commenting on the issue of “Sanitation, Health, and Climate Change,” Bridget Kurgat of Day for Girl, a Nairobi, Kenya-based organisation, pointed out that because of low investment in sanitation in Africa, the continent’s GDP is low.
The reason we are so passionate about fulfilling this enormous desire to improve the world is that we want to reach 100 million of people by 2025, which is in line with what Nigeria is attempting to do.
Thus, it was emphasised that it was vital for the private and public sectors to maximise and utilise its value.
from the viewpoint of women and girls who work and live in the unorganised sector, where there are inadequate educational facilities. referring to these girls through their period using public restrooms without running water.
But when it comes to the bathroom, she continued, “Menstrual health is also a topic that has been left aside and all of us know that women carry the repercussions of WASH simply due to the way our culture handles gender norms. How does the exclusion of women effect them?
World Toilet Organization (WTO) founder Jack Sim urged people to feel free to discuss toileting. It is acceptable to talk about toilets.
Leprosy used to be taboo to discuss, but that is no longer a problem, according to Sim. The UN World Toilet Day celebrations include the 2022 World Toilet Summit.
The World Toilet Summit in 2022 will focus on “Sanitation Innovations for Economic Development.” It started on November 18 and it would terminate on November 19, 2022. The World Toilet Summit was established in 2001 by Prof. Jack Sim, the founder.
