People practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria

Nigeria: People practicing open defecation, rural was 31.2% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
31.2%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
19th
of 171 countries
All-time high
31.2%
in 2023
All-time low
30.3%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria, 2000–2024

01020302000201220242000: 30.3 % of rural population2001: 30.3 % of rural population2002: 30.4 % of rural population2003: 30.4 % of rural population2004: 30.5 % of rural population2005: 30.5 % of rural population2006: 30.5 % of rural population2007: 30.6 % of rural population2008: 30.6 % of rural population2009: 30.7 % of rural population2010: 30.7 % of rural population2011: 30.7 % of rural population2012: 30.8 % of rural population2013: 30.8 % of rural population2014: 30.9 % of rural population2015: 30.9 % of rural population2016: 31 % of rural population2017: 31 % of rural population2018: 31 % of rural population2019: 31.1 % of rural population2020: 31.1 % of rural population2021: 31.2 % of rural population2022: 31.2 % of rural population2023: 31.2 % of rural population2024: 31.2 % of rural population

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.

Analysis

In 2024, people practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria stood at 31.2%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is up 1.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria peaked at 31.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 30.3%, in 2000.

That places Nigeria 19th out of 171 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

People practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Nigeria, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 30.3%
2001 30.3% +0.1%
2002 30.4% +0.1%
2003 30.4% +0.1%
2004 30.5% +0.1%
2005 30.5% +0.1%
2006 30.5% +0.1%
2007 30.6% +0.1%
2008 30.6% +0.1%
2009 30.7% +0.1%
2010 30.7% +0.1%
2011 30.7% +0.1%
2012 30.8% +0.1%
2013 30.8% +0.1%
2014 30.9% +0.1%
2015 30.9% +0.1%
2016 31.0% +0.1%
2017 31.0% +0.1%
2018 31.0% +0.1%
2019 31.1% +0.1%
2020 31.1% +0.1%
2021 31.2% +0.1%
2022 31.2% +0.1%
2023 31.2% +0.1%
2024 31.2% +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 30.5% 30.3% 30.7% 10
2010s 30.9% 30.7% 31.1% 10
2020s 31.2% 31.1% 31.2% 5

Countries ranked near Nigeria

  1. 16 Madagascar 36.5% compare
  2. 17 Mauritania 36.3% compare
  3. 18 Haiti 31.5% compare
  4. 20 Côte d'Ivoire 31.0% compare
  5. 21 Ghana 30.8% compare
  6. 22 Somalia 26.4% compare

See the full ranking of 218 places →

More health data for Nigeria

All data for Nigeria →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria?
People practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria was 31.2% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Nigeria?
The highest recorded value was 31.2% in 2023.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Nigeria?
The lowest recorded value was 30.3% in 2000.
How does Nigeria rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
Nigeria ranks 19th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Nigeria?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Nigeria data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People practicing open defecation, rural in Nigeria. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-rural-percent-of-rural-population/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population)
Unit
% of rural population
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
218 places, 5,299 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.