A 24-year-old graduate of the University of Ibadan has secured a partnership with the Lagos State Government to deploy a real-time platform that helps residents locate public toilets, in a move aimed at tackling open defecation through technology.
The initiative, led by Adetokunbo Ogunnoiki, founder of LooPoint, will see a geo-mapping system rolled out across Lagos to help users find clean and accessible toilets in real time.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed the development in a post on X, saying he approved the proposal after a pitch session with Ogunnoiki and his partner, Ademola Gbadero, a 24-year-old Mechanical Engineering student.
According to Wahab, the platform will allow users to locate nearby public toilets, view cleanliness ratings, get walking directions, and see estimated arrival times. He added that the solution had already been tested successfully on the University of Ibadan campus.
“I invited them in, listened to their presentation… and was impressed by their depth of work. I approved the proposal on the spot and requested a comprehensive budget for the next meeting,” Wahab said.
From social media pitch to government deal
The collaboration was sparked by a viral exchange on X over the weekend. Wahab had shared that Lagos currently has 1,710 functioning public toilets and encouraged businesses to open their facilities to the public.
Ogunnoiki responded by proposing a digital solution, arguing that the issue goes beyond building toilets to making them easy to find.
“It’s not just a matter of constructing toilets, but making them findable,” he wrote, outlining how the LooPoint platform could map existing facilities, provide real-time updates, and generate data for better maintenance and planning.
Within hours, he was invited to present the idea to officials at the Ministry.
During the pitch, Ogunnoiki and Gbadero demonstrated how their campus-based version of the platform helps students locate available and clean restrooms. They also outlined plans to scale the system for a city as large and complex as Lagos.
Data-driven sanitation push
Officials say the platform could also provide the government with a live dashboard showing usage patterns, user feedback, and maintenance needs, data that could improve sanitation planning and service delivery.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, noted that the proposal includes features such as real-time availability updates and user-generated cleanliness ratings, with room for further improvements after rollout.
Wahab described the project as part of a broader effort to build a cleaner Lagos, while also encouraging innovation from young Nigerians.
“We welcome objective criticism that offers solutions… Governance is about collective solutions and empowering the next generation,” he said.
The partnership comes as the state continues to expand sanitation infrastructure, with 1,710 public toilets already deployed to serve residents and visitors.
