People using safely managed drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: People using safely managed drinking water services was 32.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using safely managed 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 safely managed drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa is 32.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using safely managed drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 32.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 17.9%, in 2000.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th of 28 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using safely managed drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.9% | — |
| 2001 | 18.1% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 18.5% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 18.9% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 19.4% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 19.9% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 20.5% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 21.0% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 21.6% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 22.3% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 22.9% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 23.4% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 24.1% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 24.8% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 25.6% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 26.4% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 27.2% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 28.0% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 28.8% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 29.7% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 30.4% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 30.9% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 31.4% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 31.9% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 32.4% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.8% | 17.9% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.1% | 22.9% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.4% | 30.4% | 32.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0016 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1997 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.4038 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using safely managed drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- People using safely managed drinking water services in Sub-Saharan Africa was 32.4% 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 safely managed drinking water services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 32.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using safely managed drinking water services recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.9% in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for people using safely managed drinking water services?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 25th out of 28 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people using safely managed drinking water services rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.8%. 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 safely managed 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 drinking water from an improved source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.