ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF SANITATION PRACTICES IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED URBAN AND PERI-URBAN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM MAIDUGURI AND JERE

Abstract

Sanitation practices in Nigeria are shaped by environmental factors such as the location of communities (urban, peri-urban, or rural) and the availability of water, pressures that are intensified in conflict-affected settings such as Borno State. Using a mixed-methods design, primary quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 439 households in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC, urban) and Jere Local Government Area (peri-urban/semi-rural), Borno State, and analysed using chi-square tests and thematic coding; secondary national data (WASH-NORM, JMP) provided broader comparative context. More MMC respondents used improved sanitation facilities than respondents in Jere, a difference that was statistically significant (χ² = 10.370, p = 0.016). Sanitation facility type was also significantly associated with water-source reliability: households with piped water or boreholes mostly used flush toilets, while those depending on hand-dug wells or water vendors mainly used pit latrines (χ² = 30.240, p < 0.001). Qualitative accounts further showed that seasonal flooding, unstable sandy soils, and long distances to facilities damaged latrines, caused pit collapse, and discouraged consistent use. Environmental and infrastructural conditions strongly influence the use and sustainability of sanitation facilities in Maiduguri and Jere. Sustainable sanitation in conflict-affected Borno State requires flood-resistant designs, integrated water-and-sanitation planning, and greater investment in peri-urban sanitation infrastructure.