People using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: People using at least basic drinking water services was 67.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa is 67.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 67.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 45.3%, in 2000.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 45.3% | — |
| 2001 | 46.0% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 46.9% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 47.8% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 48.7% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 49.6% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 50.6% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 51.5% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 52.5% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 53.5% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 54.5% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 55.3% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 56.3% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 57.3% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 58.3% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 60.2% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 61.1% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 63.0% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 63.9% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 64.8% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 65.7% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 66.7% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 67.5% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 49.2% | 45.3% | 53.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.7% | 54.5% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.7% | 63.9% | 67.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 42 San Marino 100.0% compare
- 43 Qatar 100.0% compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.5639 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.2801 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.2837 units per person (2025)
- Population, male, per capita 0.4985 units per person (2025)
- Population, male, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- People using at least basic drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa was 67.5% 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 using at least basic drinking water services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 67.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.3% in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for people using at least basic drinking water services?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 40th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic drinking water services rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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 using at least basic drinking water services (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people using at least basic water services. This indicator encompasses both people using basic water services as well as those using safely managed water services. Basic drinking water services is defined as drinking water from an improved source, provided collection time is not more than 30 minutes for a round trip. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.