Over 30 #WSH leaders from eight countries, three days of intensive collaboration, & one mission: advancing data-driven sanitation solutions across Africa.

This week in Lusaka, Zambia, we co-hosted a hybrid #NonSeweredSanitation (NSS) Data Module Development Workshop with ESAWAS regulators association, bringing together regulators, utilities, municipalities, system developers, & development partners to address the need for a practical, standardized NSS data module tailored to the realities of African utilities.

Day 1: Yvonne Magawa, ESAWAS's Executive Secretary, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of KPIs in #NSS service delivery. Freya Mills from World Health Organization/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) shared indicators for #SDG monitoring & reporting, & Grace Wambui, #WSH Consultant at Dev-Afrique, presented findings from our ongoing landscape assessment of NSS data systems across Sub-Saharan Africa—the first comprehensive evaluation of its kind (Stay tuned for more on our findings!) Participants then defined KPIs that balance local needs with global reporting standards, establishing metrics critical to effective NSS service monitoring.

Day 2: Technical discussions explored module components across the NSS service chain. Representatives showcased their existing NSS and ERP data systems such as the Nakuru Water and Sanitation Services Company (NAWASSCO) @NakuruWater ERP System, the Tanzania Unified Billing System, the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Water Utilities Information System (MajIS), and the Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company Lusaka Sanitation System (LSS), highlighting how data systems enhance NSS service delivery. We also delved into data requirements, system integration, & necessary resources for creating & managing an NSS data module that supports effective decision-making across Africa's utilities.

Day 3: Participants developed a comprehensive Terms of Reference (#ToR) & a strategic roadmap for scaling the NSS module across diverse contexts. Key discussions addressed data protection, user training, & capacity-building to ensure effective integration. They crafted a forward-looking blueprint, envisioning how the #NSSDataModule would drive policy-backed improvements in NSS services. The resulting module is designed to integrate seamlessly within an #ERPSystem, enhancing #OperationalEfficiency, improving #ServiceDelivery, & ensuring #RegulatoryCompliance.

Special thanks to all delegates for their invaluable contributions as this collaboration marks a pivotal step towards scalable, adaptable, & impactful, data-driven NSS service provision across Africa.

#WSH #NonSeweredSanitation #NSS #SDG #ToR #NSSDataModule #ERPSystem #OperationalEfficiency #ServiceDelivery #RegulatoryCompliance