[UPDATE] 2022 World Toilet Summit: Sanitation experts decry low investment in sanitation value chain

AS the two-day World Toilet Summit kicks off in Abuja, sanitation experts, Friday, decried low investment in the sanitation value chain, which has reduced African Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and over the years.

They stressed that the sanitation economy is gradually becoming a leading economy in some countries including India.

According to them, if the subsector is properly stimulated it would have a panacea to unemployment and also reduce diseases amongst the populace.

During a panel discussion moderated by National Coordinator, Organised Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, OPS-WASH, Dr Nickolas Igwe, on the topic ‘Scaling Sanitation Economy for National Development’, where panelists pointed benefits of a befitting toilet system include improved health and well-being of citizens.

One of the panelists, Tim O’ Neil said there is a need for investment to revolutionize the sanitation sector.

O’Neill also urged banks and other sectors to invest in the sector.

He said, “What we need now is a revolution where we ensure that the investment, that is the private sector, has the opportunity to engage in finance, provision and haulage of sanitation.”

Another panelist, Adegbe Micheal, said the sanitation sub sector remains a gold in waiting to be tapped in Nigeria, whose potential in revenue generation will stand at $26.1 billion in 2030 if harnessed.

“Why we are passionate about achieving this huge desire or enhancing the world positively, our goal is to reach a hundred million people by 2025, that is in tandem with what Nigeria is trying to do.

Also speaking, Bridget Kurgat of Day for Girl based in Nairobi, Kenya, on the topic ‘Sanitation, Health and Climate Change, noted the low investment in sanitation in Africa, as a result has made African GDP low.

Therefore, pointed out that there is an urgent need for both the public and private sectors to boost and harness its potential.

However, speaking on menstrual health as far as the toilet is concerned, she said, “Menstrual health is also something that has been left behind and we all know that women bear the consequence of WASH just because of how our society handles gender roles. How does it affect women when we do not include them?

“From the perspective of women and girls in the workplace and also in the informal sector where we don’t have proper infrastructures in school .Pointing to these girls during their period of open toilets without water.

The founder of the World Toilet Organisation, WTO, Jack Sim urged the world to feel free to talk about toileting.

“Feel free to talk about toilets, it is normal, talk about shit, feel free.

“There was a time when it was a taboo to talk about leprosy, but today it is no more the issue”, Sim said.

The 2022 World Toilet Summit is part of events to commemorate UN World Toilet Day.

Theme of the 2022 World Toilet Summit is ‘Sanitation Innovations for Economic Development’.

It commenced Friday November 18 and would end Saturday 19, 2022.

The World Toilet Summit started in 2001 by the Founder, Prof Jack Sim.