A Nigerian court has sentenced a man to prison for storing human faeces in containers near his home. The verdict, handed down in Lagos, has sent a ripple through the sanitation debate. The UK, through its High Commission, called for improved standards. But sources in Abuja say this feels like a pointed critique from an old colonial power.
The case is peculiar. The man argued he was a farmer using the waste as fertiliser. The court disagreed, citing public health risks. Lagos has a chronic waste problem. Open defecation is still a reality for millions. So why this case now?
Whitehall sources suggest the UK's statement was pre-planned. Part of a broader push on global health. But the timing is awkward. Domestic scrutiny on UK water companies is intense. Sewage dumping into rivers is a national scandal. The government is facing a backbench rebellion over the Environment Bill. Some Labour MPs are calling for public ownership of water firms.
Privately, Nigerian officials seethe. They see double standards. One diplomat told me: "They lecture us on waste while their own rivers run brown with sewage." There is truth to that. The UK's sanitation infrastructure is creaking. The OECD ranks the UK 17th for water quality. Behind Slovenia.
For the UK, this is a delicate act. Foreign aid is being cut. The 0.7% target is gone. Yet they still want to lead on global health. The China angle is unspoken but present. Beijing is funding massive infrastructure projects across Africa. Sanitation is a key part of that. The UK is worried about losing influence.
Back in Nigeria, the man will serve his sentence. His family says he is a scapegoat. Locals say the real problem is a lack of waste collection services. The government blames the people's mindset. Everyone is pointing fingers.
The UK's call for improved sanitation standards is not wrong. But it lacks self-awareness. The government here should look at its own record before offering advice. The dirt is on both hands.
