The University of Uyo Microfinance Bank (Uniuyo MFB) has launched a new loan facility, WashLoan, aimed at improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene for residents within the university community and surrounding areas.
The Managing Director of the bank, Dr. Millicent Idiong, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the initiative is designed to enhance access to safe water and sanitation facilities for households, schools and small businesses.
According to her, the unveiling of the loan product was carried out in partnership with Water.org, a global non-profit organisation focused on expanding access to safe water and sanitation.
The event was held at the University of Uyo in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Idiong explained that the initiative is also being implemented in collaboration with the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), the umbrella body for microfinance banks in Nigeria.
“Access to clean water and proper sanitation is not a luxury; it is a basic human right. Yet in many households, schools and small businesses in our communities, these rights remain out of reach,” she said.
She added that through the WashLoan initiative, Uniuyo MFB is reinforcing the message that no family should struggle to access safe water, no child should learn in an unsafe environment, and no community should be left behind due to poor sanitation.
Idiong commended Water.org and NAMB for partnering with the bank to expand access to safe water and sanitation within the university and neighbouring communities.
According to her, the partnership aligns with Uniuyo MFB’s mission as a development-focused financial institution, which seeks to use finance as a tool for transformation rather than merely for profit.
“The WashLoan has been carefully designed to be affordable, flexible and accessible. It supports individuals, households, schools, landlords and water-related businesses to invest in sustainable water and sanitation solutions.
“By providing this financing, we are not just supporting infrastructure; we are supporting health, dignity, productivity and community resilience,” she said.
In his remarks, the Senior Relationship Account Manager at Water.org, Gilbert Okpono, said the launch of the WashLoan product by Uniuyo MFB represents a significant step toward achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation in the state and across the country.
“Through this innovative financing solution, households and small and medium-scale enterprises will receive sustainable support to address water and sanitation challenges,” he said.
Also speaking, the National President of NAMB, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmad, highlighted the potential impact of the initiative on millions of people within the university community and surrounding areas.
He described the WashLoan launch as a demonstration of the power of collaboration in improving hygiene, health and living conditions for communities served by microfinance institutions.
Ahmad added that NAMB is actively seeking additional partnerships to expand sustainable and life-impacting financial solutions for its clients and communities.
