– Aim to Reach Over 800,000 Beneficiaries in 2026
Mary Nnah
Nigeria’s leading hygiene brand, Dettol, in partnership with The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), has officially flagged off Phase 3 of the Dettol Hygiene Quest initiative, expanding its mission to equip more Nigerian children and families with essential hygiene education and healthy living practices. The milestone phase was launched with an educational event held at Eko Akete Junior Secondary School, Lagos Island, where students participated in interactive handwashing demonstrations and hygiene education sessions. They also received Dettol antibacterial soaps and educational materials to encourage healthy hygiene habits.
The Clean Naija Initiative, under which the Dettol Hygiene Quest programme is implemented, aims to reach 6 million schoolchildren by 2030 through promoting proper handwashing and hygiene education. The initiative also seeks to increase handwashing rates by 20%, reduce diarrhoea cases by 10%, and decrease school absenteeism linked to hygiene-related illnesses.
Since its inception, the initiative has impacted more than 440,000 beneficiaries across 716 schools, 36 healthcare facilities, and 456 communities nationwide, promoting lifelong hygiene habits among children, mothers, families, and community members through lessons focused on handwashing, cleanliness, and healthy living.
Phase 3 has been designed to build directly on these results, taking the programme’s proven model into new geographies and deepening its reach among communities where the need for hygiene education remains greatest. It plans to reach more than 750,000 students and 90,000 pregnant and new mothers through hygiene education and behavioural change programmes designed to promote sustainable hygiene standards.
As part of Phase 3, the initiative will also reinforce awareness around proper handwashing and the use of trusted hygiene solutions such as Dettol Original Antibacterial Bar Soap, which, with regular use, reinforces the skin’s natural germ-fighting ability for up to 12-hours against germs. Through school, community, and healthcare engagements, the programme aims to encourage sustainable hygiene behaviours among children, caregivers, and families, helping them stay protected from hygiene-related illnesses in their everyday environments.
Speaking about the programme, Cassandra Uzo-Ogbugh, Head of External Affairs, Media, and Partnerships, represented by Toluwase Abikoye, Brand Manager for Dettol, stated, “At Reckitt, we understand that when children learn healthy habits early, those habits can create a lasting impact far beyond the classroom. That is why programmes like the Dettol Hygiene Quest remain important to us.”
“Through our partnership with the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, we have continued to see tremendous and measurable progress across participating communities. A third-party evaluation of Phase 2 showed that reported cases of communicable disease symptoms among students declined by 9.3% in Abuja, 12.3% in Lagos, and 15.7% points in Kwara, with corresponding reductions in school absenteeism linked to illness, demonstrating the positive impact of sustained hygiene education and awareness. As we commence Phase 3 of the programme, we remain committed to empowering even more children and families with the knowledge they need to lead healthier lives.”
In her opening remarks, the President of WBFA, Princess Toyin Ojora Saraki, represented by Dr Osinachi Onyeoziri, Director of Programming and Reporting, The Wellbeing Foundation Africa,
highlighted the critical role of hygiene education in improving health outcomes for children and communities, and encouraged students to become advocates for good hygiene practices.
“The future of Nigeria depends on children, their health, education, confidence, and ability to grow into responsible leaders. But for this to happen, staying healthy matters. At the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, we believe that healthy children learn better, thrive better, and build stronger futures. This belief continues to guide our efforts to improve health, well-being, education, and hygiene outcomes for children, women, and families across Nigeria,” she said.
As the flag-off ceremony concluded, the students left equipped with practical hygiene knowledge and renewed confidence to champion healthy habits within their schools, homes, and communities, reinforcing the programme’s broader goal of nurturing a generation of hygiene-conscious Nigerians.
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