Lagos deploys 1,710 public toilets, urges businesses to open restrooms to tackle open defecation

• Lagos State Government has deployed 1,710 public toilets across the state.

• Businesses are being urged to open their restrooms to the public.

• The move targets open defecation and poor sanitation.

• Authorities say enforcement, including arrests, will continue.

The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to improve sanitation by deploying 1,710 public toilets across the state, while also calling on private businesses to make their restrooms accessible to the public.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to curb open defecation and improve environmental hygiene in Nigeria’s commercial hub.

Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, said the government alone cannot address the sanitation challenge, stressing the need for collaboration with the private sector.

According to him, establishments such as banks, fuel stations, restaurants, and other public-facing businesses are expected to support the effort by allowing members of the public to use their toilet facilities.

He noted that increasing access to toilets is critical to ending the widespread practice of open defecation, which remains a concern in many parts of the state despite ongoing interventions.

The government has also stepped up enforcement, warning that individuals caught engaging in open defecation will be arrested and prosecuted in line with existing sanitation laws.

Officials say the combined approach; expanding public toilet infrastructure, encouraging private sector participation, and enforcing sanitation regulations, is designed to deliver long-term improvements in cleanliness and public health.

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The deployment of over 1,700 toilets marks a significant step in addressing infrastructure gaps, but authorities maintain that behavioural change and collective responsibility will be key to achieving lasting results.

Residents are therefore being urged to make use of available facilities and support efforts to keep the state clean, as Lagos continues to push toward a more hygienic and liveable environment.