A growing sanitation and water crisis in Mpape, a fast-expanding community just outside central Abuja, has triggered urgent calls from residents and stakeholders for decisive action from the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
At a recent planning workshop focused on inclusive sanitation efforts in Abuja, sanitation experts painted a grim picture of life in Mpape, revealing that a significant portion of the population lacks access to proper toilet facilities. According to findings shared at the City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) Planning Validation Workshop, more than 30 percent of residents still rely on open defecation due to the absence of basic infrastructure.
Mr. Timeyin Uwejamomere, CEO of Mangrove and Partners Ltd, emphasized that the sanitary conditions in Mpape pose a serious health risk not only to the residents but also to Abuja at large. “Mpape is less than ten minutes from central Abuja, yet many people there live in shocking squalor. Workers who live in Mpape but work in the city could unknowingly spread disease,” he said.
The sanitation assessment in Mpape was conducted under the Strengthening African Operators Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (SAO-CWIS) programme, supported by the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Abuja is one of three focal areas under the program, along with Delta and Enugu States.
Uwejamomere further noted that Mpape is not included in any of Abuja’s regional or city development plans and suffers from a complete lack of organized waste management or water systems. He criticized the city’s planning failure, stating, “Despite Abuja entering its fifth phase of development, many unplanned communities like Mpape remain ignored. Infrastructure like the Wupa Wastewater Treatment Plant is underused simply because major areas haven’t been connected.”
He recommended immediate steps such as the creation of a comprehensive sanitation management system, formal training for waste handlers, and the integration of informal operators into a regulated framework. He also warned of insufficient budgetary support for the “Clean Nigeria” campaign, a federal initiative aimed at ending open defecation nationwide.
“The FCT needs to take another look at the Abuja master plan and recognize these neglected areas. We estimate that nearly 40 percent of the capital’s population still practices open defecation—mostly in underserved satellite towns,” he added.
Local leaders have echoed these concerns. Chief Musa Pada, traditional head of Mpape, spoke out about years of neglect. “We have no roads, no public health facilities worth mentioning, no piped water, and poor electricity. A single water truck costs our people ₦2,000. Our small health centre, originally private, now serves our entire community,” he said.
Chief Pada said despite several appeals to the Bwari Area Council and FCT authorities, there has been little progress. “Mpape’s population has soared to over two million people, yet the community remains excluded from major government interventions. We may be off the map, but we are very much part of this city.”
