25/07/2025
Holding It In: How Poor Hygiene Infrastructure Endangers Women on Campus
©️ INTERWATCH
By Onaji Ruth Ojochogwu
When Aisha crouched behind a bush near the Faculty of Arts during night class to urinate, she wasn’t lost, she wasn't coming back from a long journey. She was on campus. The toilets weren’t locked, they were open, yes, but inside was a nightmare: the floor smelled of urine, overflowing bowls streaked with f***s, walls stained with time and shame. The air reeked of rot and ammonia.
By her account, she had held the urine for as long as she could, and when she couldn't take it anymore she ran behind the building praying no snake or man would find her.
On a campus where power outages are frequent and security presence is limited, it’s a choice many female students make out of necessity. Aisha’s story is far from unique. Across campus, female students quietly endure the same reality: toilets in disrepair, broken privacy, and unsafe alternatives. What may seem like a personal discomfort is, in fact, a widespread crisis, one that touches health, dignity, and safety.
Even Law Students Can't Find Justice in Toilets:
Naima, a student from the Faculty of Law, shares a reality that echoes across the university: the toilets in her faculty are so dirty that using them feels like a punishment.
Her worst experience wasn’t an unusual incident, it was the norm. “There was no option. I had to return to the hostel to ease myself,” she recalled. She admits to sometimes limiting her water intake during the day, just to avoid the struggle of finding a usable toilet. For her, the situation affects more than just convenience, it strikes at the heart of dignity and privacy.
“It diminishes my dignity.” Settling for other places apart from the toilet, especially those that might expose you, strips away that privacy every human being deserves. For Naima and many girls in the faculty holding it in becomes a norm
Despite the clear discomfort and potential health risks, Naima said no one seems to be directly held accountable for maintaining the facilities. And as far as she knows, no concrete action has ever been taken following complaints.
Even in the Faculty of Law, where justice is studied and debated, Naima and her p*ers are denied a basic right: access to clean, functioning toilets. But her story is not just about one faculty or one student. It points to a deeper issue across campus, one that weighs heaviest on female students.
A GENDERED INJUSTICE:
While poor sanitation is a campus-wide problem, it doesn’t affect everyone equally. For male students, the inconvenience is often shrugged off. For female students, it’s a health risk and a daily struggle.
A random sampling of male students, conducted by the Interwatch press, across various departments showed that over 90% acknowledged female students bear the brunt of poor toilet conditions.
While many male students admitted the toilets affect everyone, they agree that the impact on women is more severe.
Jibola, a 300 level student put it plainly “As a guy, I can p*e outside if the toilet is bad. It’s not ideal, but it’s easier for guys,” said Jibola, a 300-level student. “But my sister has had to treat infections more than once. She attributes to holding urine or using dirty toilets.”
His perspective reflects a biological reality. Medical experts confirm that female students are more vulnerable to toilet-related infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), largely due to anatomical differences. The female urethra is shorter and located closer to the a**s, which increases the risk of bacterial transmission, particularly in dirty environments.
Even though male students also avoid certain campus toilets due to foul smells and lack of maintenance, they point out that their risk of infection is lower. This is because their use typically involves minimal skin contact with contaminated surfaces.
The disparity in toilet experiences between male and female students highlights a quiet gender health crisis that’s been brewing behind broken locks, leaking pipes, and stained tiles. For menstruating students, the conditions are not just uncomfortable, they’re unsafe
PERIOD FEAR
For many female students on campus, menstruation is more than just a biological cycle; it's a recurring ordeal marked by fear, discomfort, and anxiety, much of it stemming from the poor state of toilet facilities.
One student shared how her period began unexpectedly during a lecture. Though she had a sanitary pad in her bag, she said there was nowhere to change it. For those with heavy flow, the situation becomes even more stressful.
Ella, a 400-level student, explained that she often feels anxious during her period, particularly because of her flow. The toilets, she said, are usually filthy and lack water. Out of fear of getting stained, she changes less frequently and simply hopes for the best. On days when her period starts, especially the first day, she sometimes stays back in her hostel to avoid the risk of public embarrassment.
She isn’t alone in this. In a brief survey conducted among female students,by the Interwatch press, 70% admitted they live in constant fear of staining their clothes while on campus not due to carelessness, but because of the lack of access to clean toilets.
Maryam, a final-year student, noted that students sometimes remain in their seats far longer than necessary, enduring discomfort, just to avoid using the toilets. To cope, few resort to carrying extra scarves, layering pads, or using tissue paper, all in an effort to manage without stepping into the restrooms.
With no sanitary bins, or running water, students are left to manage a natural part of their lives under unnatural and dehumanizing conditions. The physical toll is matched only by the emotional strain, a quiet routine of sacrifice and discomfort that interferes with their focus, health, and dignity.
Yet menstrual stress is only one symptom of a broader problem.
WHEN FEAR TURNS TO REALITY:
Beyond the challenge of managing menstruation, the situation has triggered serious health consequences for some.
One student, a continuity announcer at the campus radio station, had just wrapped up her morning shift when nature called. Pressed and unable to wait, she used one of the nearby student toilets. What she met inside was far from sanitary, a bowl infested with worms.
Hovering over the bowl to avoid direct contact, she relieved herself, but a splash of contaminated water hit her in the process. Within hours, discomfort began. It started with itching, then a boil formed. Over the following days, the situation worsened into a painful infection that required medical attention.
Though she eventually recovered physically, the emotional toll lingered. Since the incident, she has completely avoided student toilets, choosing instead to hold it in or return home when necessary.
Hers is not an isolated case. The conditions of many toilets across campus blocked, unwashed, and often without water have turned a basic need into a health hazard. For many, the risk of using them outweighs the relief they should offer.
In the midst of these quiet struggles, some students face an even steeper challenge. For those whose bodies demand more care like expectant mothers, the search for a clean toilet becomes more than an inconvenience. It becomes a daily ordeal.
PREGNANT AND PRESSED
For Sadikka, a heavily pregnant student on campus, finding a clean and safe toilet on campus feels like a daily battle. In her words,“getting a clean and safe toilet on campus is like getting water in the middle of the Sahara. You only use it because you’re pressed and have no other option,” she says, her words lined with quiet frustration.
Throughout her pregnancy, Sadikka has encountered toilets that are unkempt and poorly maintained. For someone already dealing with fatigue, nausea, and swollen feet, facing filthy restrooms adds another layer of stress. On several occasions, she’s opted to relieve herself in hidden outdoor corners behind buildings rather than step into the toilets.
“It’s very undignified,” she says quietly. “But what choice do I have?”
Her experience hasn’t been without consequences. The unhygienic conditions contributed to an infection that required treatment. Worse still, she sometimes had to walk long distances across campus just to find a usable facility, a physically draining task that cost her class time and comfort.
She doesn’t believe many people truly understand how difficult it is to be pregnant and still juggle the demands of school. To her, clean toilets might seem like a small issue to others, but in her situation, they mean everything.
A COMMON COMPLAINT: “TOILET INFECTION”
At the pharmacy just outside the school gate, the complaints are routine, and troubling.
According to Mrs. Blessing, who owns a pharmacy near the campus, many of her female student customers report recurring urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and skin irritations. She links these conditions to the use of dirty toilets and poor hygiene practices. “Some even self-medicate because they’re too embarrassed to talk about it or can’t afford to go to the hospital,” she explained. “But many of these issues could be prevented if there were safe, clean toilets available.”
For numerous female students, frequent itching, burning sensations, or unusual discharge have become a silent norm, either whispered about among p*ers or ignored entirely. These symptoms are often casually referred to as “toilet infection,” a phrase so commonly used on campus that it oversimplifies and conceals the real medical concerns behind it.
But what exactly does this term mean?
EXPERT WEIGH IN:
Despite its frequent use on campus, the term “toilet infection” is medically inaccurate. According to Nnawihe Favour, a registered nurse at Usman Danfodio University teaching hospital, most cases described this way stem more from poor personal hygiene practices than from contact with toilet seats. She explains that what many refer to as “toilet infection” often includes urinary tract infections (UTIs), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or bacterial vaginosis. While dirty toilets can increase the risk, they are not the direct cause.
Favour highlighted that poor hygiene,such as inadequate washing or improper wiping, plays a major role in these infections. She also dispelled a common campus myth that simply sitting on a toilet seat causes infection, noting that proper hygiene practices prevent this.
The lack of consistent water supply in campus toilets makes maintaining hygiene difficult, contributing to the problem. Even when water is available, some students do not maintain proper hygiene. Favour stressed the need for the university to ensure steady water availability and to supervise cleaners to improve sanitation standards.
She advised practical preventive measures including washing with clean water, wiping from front to back, avoiding shared tissue, gently drying the area, and wearing breathable cotton underwear to reduce moisture that fosters bacterial growth.
While medical professionals warn about long-term health risks associated with untreated infections, student leaders are urged to advocate for better facilities and improved hygiene to protect students’ health and dignity.
Student Union Reacts:
In an interview with Interwatch, the Student Union Welfare Director, Comrade Muhammad Aminu Kalgo, acknowledged the growing concerns over the poor condition of female toilets on campus. He confirmed that his office is aware of the situation and takes the complaints seriously, pledging commitment to address the issues promptly.
Kalgo revealed that he has conducted a thorough assessment of toilet facilities in several departments and initiated discussions with the university’s facilities management team to renovate the most affected toilets. Plans are reportedly underway to enhance sanitation efforts and improve waste disposal across campus.
When questioned about delays in making faster improvements, he identified irregular maintenance and inconsistent cleaning schedules as major challenges. Although a cleaning routine exists, Kalgo admitted it has been largely ineffective in some areas and promised to review and strengthen cleaning protocols.
To female students who have stopped using campus toilets due to fear of infections, he offered empathy and assurance, emphasizing that the Welfare Directorate prioritizes their health and well-being. He affirmed their commitment to improving toilet facilities and creating a clean, safe environment.
Looking forward, the Student Union intends to meet again with the university’s facilities management to finalize renovation plans and reinforce cleaning strategies to make campus toilets safer and more dignified for all students, particularly women.
As of press time, efforts to reach the Dean of Students’ Affairs for comment were unsuccessful. Despite several visits to his office, he was not available. However, students and stakeholders await his response, as his office plays a central role in student welfare and campus infrastructure decisions.
Aisha’s story, crouching behind a bush near the Faculty of Arts to relieve herself during night class, reflects a broader reality faced by many female students on campus. For them, avoiding the toilets isn’t a choice rooted in rebellion, but in necessity, shaped by repeated experiences with infections and fear of worse.
Through their voices, this report, highlights an ongoing sanitation crisis that undermines both student dignity and health. While university student leaders have acknowledged the problem and pledged reforms, actual progress remains slow and uneven.
With Sustainable Development Goal 6 emphasizing access to clean water and sanitation for all, the current state of campus toilets raises serious questions about institutional priorities. For students,especially women, the stakes are personal.
Until sanitation conditions improve in real, measurable ways, students, especially women, will continue to navigate their education with caution, hoping that 'holding it in' won’t remain their safest choice.
