Hygiene: Reckitt launches nationwide hygiene challenge
By Chioma Obinna
Dettol Nigeria has launched a nationwide consumer campaign aimed at promoting everyday hygiene and encouraging Nigerians to adopt consistent hand and body hygiene practices as part of efforts to curb the spread of infectious diseases.
The initiative, tagged: “Dettol Original 12-Hour Protection Challenge,” urged Nigerians to share personal stories of how the brand has helped protect them and their families, while reinforcing the importance of regular hygiene, particularly during the rainy season when the risk of waterborne diseases increases.
Running from July 13 to August 15, 2026, the challenge requires participants to create and upload a 60-second video on Instagram featuring a bar of Dettol Original Soap and sharing their personal experience. Twenty-five winners will receive various prizes.
Speaking on the campaign, Marketing Director, Reckitt West Africa, Boma Harrison, said the initiative is designed to inspire Nigerians to make hygiene a daily habit amid increasing exposure to germs at home, in schools, workplaces and public spaces.
“Every day, Nigerians are exposed to germs as they commute, work, attend school and carry out their daily activities. The ’12-Hour Protective Shield’ campaign is our way of reminding and encouraging people to make hygiene a consistent part of their everyday routines.
“With regular use, the product supports the skin’s natural germ fighters for 12 hours. We want Nigerians to go about their daily routines with confidence, knowing they are protected every step of the way,” Harrison said.
According to him, the campaign also celebrates the long-standing relationship between the brand and Nigerian families by encouraging consumers to share personal stories of protection, care and healthy living.
The campaign centres on Dettol Original Antibacterial Bar Soap, which the company says provides up to 12 hours of antibacterial protection while supporting the skin’s natural defences.
The company said the campaign comes at a critical period as heavy rains and flooding in parts of the country have heightened concerns over outbreaks of cholera, typhoid and other waterborne diseases linked to poor hygiene and contaminated floodwater.
Citing the World Health Organisation, WHO, the company noted that proper hygiene practices can reduce diarrhoeal diseases by up to 30 per cent and acute respiratory infections by up to 17 per cent, highlighting the critical role of good hygiene in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
For decades, the Dettol has championed hygiene education and behaviour change initiatives across Nigeria, promoting simple preventive practices that reduce the transmission of germs.
Through the campaign, the company hopes to strengthen public awareness about the importance of everyday hygiene while celebrating the role the brand has played in protecting generations of Nigerian families.