People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in Nigeria
Nigeria: People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) was 7.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, urban in Nigeria, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2024, people practicing open defecation, urban in Nigeria stood at 7.1%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, urban in Nigeria peaked at 13.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 2023.
Nigeria ranks 15th of 182 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 13.1% | — |
| 2001 | 12.8% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 12.5% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 12.3% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 11.8% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 11.5% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 11.3% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 11.0% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 10.7% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 10.5% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 10.2% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 9.7% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 9.4% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 9.2% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 8.9% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 8.7% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 8.4% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 8.1% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 7.9% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 7.6% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 7.4% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 7.1% | -3.5% |
| 2024 | 7.1% | +0.0% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 7.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.0%, 7.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 7.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.9%, 3.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.9% | 10.7% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.3% | 8.1% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.4% | 7.1% | 7.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 12 Haiti 8.1% compare
- 13 Niger 7.9% compare
- 14 Solomon Islands 7.7% compare
- 16 Angola 7.1% compare
- 17 Central African Republic 6.8% compare
- 18 Papua New Guinea 5.3% compare
More health data for Nigeria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8137 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 257,921 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 14 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0711 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0729 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, urban in Nigeria?
- People practicing open defecation, urban in Nigeria was 7.1% 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, urban recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 13.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, urban recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 2023.
- How does Nigeria rank for people practicing open defecation, urban?
- Nigeria ranks 15th out of 182 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, urban rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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, urban (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.