Self Help Africa has partnered with Cross River State authorities in Nigeria to launch  the State’s first Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Policy, aimed at  improving public health long-term. 

While WASH programmes have been implemented in Nigeria for more than a decade, significant challenges remain. Nearly half (41 per cent) of the population in Cross River State still have no access to toilets. Four out of ten people lack access to basic sanitation, and only eight per cent of schools and six per cent of public places have access to basic WASH services. These gaps highlight the urgent need for coordinated, system-wide action.

The new policy provides a clear framework to strengthen access to safe WASH services and improve public health and wellbeing across communities in Cross River State. It represents a shift towards stronger governance, clearer standards, and more sustainable service delivery for communities across the state.

Country Director of Self Help Africa, Joy Aderele, further stressed the need for inclusive governance and multi-sectoral collaboration to drive sustainable improvements in the WASH sector, she says: “Good WASH governance involves making the right decisions and implementing them effectively by leveraging partnerships for sustainable change within the sector. The Cross River WASH policy is an inclusive framework that showcases how the public sector and civil society can partner to create sustainable change.”

Our support has included:

• Coordinating the policy review process, from stakeholder consultations to validation and approval by the state governor, His Excellency, Prince Bassey Otu.
• Strengthening the State Task Group (STG) on WASH and supporting the passage of the Water Bill into law in 2025.
• Supporting WASH service delivery in Obubra LGA through counterpart funding from the state government to scale up the WS4H programme.

Speaking at the launch event, the Permanent Secretary of the Cross River State Ministry of Water Resources reaffirmed the state government’s strong commitment to reforming and strengthening the WASH sector.

“The state government is committed to having an organised WASH sector. This launch is a deliberate attempt to formulate procedures, standards, and best practices for implementing water governance in the state,” the Permanent Secretary stated.

The policy supports efforts to expand  access to safe water and sanitation services for all, reducing open defecation, improving school attendance and ultimately strengthening livelihoods across communities in Nigeria.