TheCable

Chidera Anele, Brand manager, Hypo Toilet Cleaner, managing Hypo Toilet cleaner brand at Hypo Homecare Product Limited. In this interview to commemorate World Toilet Day speaks on what the brand is doing to improve germ free toilets across Nigeria.

Tell us about the brand and how it promotes hygiene and healthy living?  

The company has been in existence for over 10 years doing business and providing hygiene to the average Nigerian. What we do is very important because hygiene is a key part of wellbeing and most people who provide such hygiene services exclude the common man. So what we are doing is to make a product that is high quality and high performance available to the average Nigerians to buy at very low price. We can proudly say that the work we have done has resulted in market leadership and complete value offering to consumers that they recognise.

Why do you see the need to join global organisations in celebrating the World Toilet Day?

Chidera Anele, Brand Manager, Hypo Toilet Cleaner, Mrs. Balogun Omoyeni, Deputy Director, Sanitation Sevices Department, Lagos Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Iyabo Ojo, Nollywood Actress, Mrs. Damilola Odeleke, Iya Oloja, Kiibati Mall, Okota during Hypo Toilet Rescue mission in commemoration of the World Toilet Day at Okota Lagos

Research shows that only 44 percent of total Nigerians have access to toilet facilities and we cannot overemphasise the value that toilet brings to our lives, its role in the society and personal hygiene. How we manage waste plays in role in the overall wellbeing of our society. If people are defecating openly, you will have incidents of diarrhoea and this kills a lot of children.

According to the World Health Organisation, (WHO), every minute a child dies because someone is not using the toilet. We also see the need to educate Nigerians about toilet hygiene management. Yes, you have a toilet, but your toilet can also be a disaster if you do not maintain it. It is like a time bomb! We want people to manage toilets properly, so it can add value to people and not be a problem. Toilet related diseases are ranked as the top five killers of women in the world. So, it is important you manage your toilet in such a way that it gives you benefits.

What are you doing as an organisation in terms of CSR to improve toilet usage?

Two years back, we started an activity called Hypo Toilet Rescue because we recognise that thousands of Nigerians live with unclean toilets. We started this activity to go to different homes and upgrade their toilets. We do this free of charge. We go to these homes and look at the state of the toilet and we transform it. We renovate and clean these toilets. We do a lot of civil, maintenance and management work in this regard. This year alone, we have done over 50 toilet rescues. We intend to scale this up soon. Nigerians need more toilets but when the toilets we have are not properly managed, it is also a disaster. We also invest in educating consumers about toilet hygiene and the need to use Toilet cleaners in place of detergents.

Meanwhile, on World Toilet Day, we were present at Okota community, Kiibati Mall to commission 3 more refurbished public toilets for the benefits of the residents and gladly, representatives from the Lagos Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, veteran actress -Iyabo Ojo and seasoned comedian- funny bone joined us as we collectively sensitize them on associated risks to improper use and poor maintenance of the Toilet.

What is the patronage level of Hypo as a product in Nigeria?

We offer the best products and make it available at an affordable cost. So, our products have got very good patronage. We launched Hypo Toilet Cleaner in 2018. Since then, we have had good patronage and right now, we are leading this market.

How are you creating awareness and making your products accessible to Nigerians who would rather use detergent to clean their toilets rather than the right products as a result of cost?

As we commemorate the World Toilet Day, what we want people to understand is that it matters what you choose to clean your toilets with because a lot of people think they can use detergent in cleaning their toilets. Detergents contain some cleaning agents but what they do is they reduce water density and help you remove dirt, but detergents are not proven to kill germs. Scientists say there are millions of bacteria in a toilet. So for a toilet, you need to be very deliberate about what you use to clean them. Detergents are for clothes.

That awareness needs to be there that your toilets need something better that doesn’t only clean but also make your toilets germ free. That is where toilet cleaners come in. We have a product that is retailed at N45. So with less than N50, you can get the best product that you can clean your toilet with and be sure that the toilets are safe for use.

We offer you toilet cleaner at a very low price, which is even cheaper than detergent. We have made these products available and put a lot of work towards distributing them. We hope that people see this message and begin to use toilet cleaners in place of detergents. A lot of people suffer from toilet related diseases and spend a lot of money on medication. If you take a count in an average health centre in Lagos, you will be amazed to see the number of people suffering from toilet infections. When a toilet looks white, it doesn’t mean it is germ free.

Representing the Lagos Ministry of Environment and Water resources at the commissioning event was the Deputy Director, Sanitation Services Department, Mrs. Balogun Omoyeni, stated that “the theme for the year 2021 World Toilet Day- Valuing Toilet” is a clarion call on all stakeholders to prioritize sanitation and hygiene, as this is the cheapest and easiest method of combating spread of diseases and control of other environmental crises”.