The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says average of 24.4 percent of households in the country still practice open defecation.
The NBS disclosed this on Monday in Abuja in its report on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene – National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASH-NORM) 2018 Survey, posted on its website.
The agency said that data for the report was provided by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and subsequently verified and validated by the NBS.
It said that the practice was highest in the North Central with 53.9 percent households followed by South West with 28.0 percent, while North West had the least with 10.3 percent.
Also Watch
On access to hygiene, it said that the percentage figure of households with fixed place for handwashing with water and soap under running water was just 22.1 per cent nationwide.
It said that South East recorded the highest percentage of 32.1, followed by North East, while North West recorded the least 18.4 per cent.
The report also said that household heads that had knowledge about handwashing in Nigeria at least two critical times was 91.4 per cent.
In the South East and South West, it said the record was 98.8 and 94.5 per cent, while North East recorded the least percentage of 82.4.
On access to improved water facilities, the report said that the households in Nigeria that use improved source of drinking water were 73.4 per cent.