People using safely managed sanitation services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): People using safely managed sanitation services, rural was 23.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using safely managed sanitation services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 23.7% for people using safely managed sanitation services, rural in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using safely managed sanitation services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 23.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 2000.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 21st of 26 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 sanitation services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.3% | — |
| 2001 | 14.5% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 15.2% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 15.6% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 16.0% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 16.4% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 16.8% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 17.3% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 18.1% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 18.3% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 18.8% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 19.6% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 20.0% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 20.4% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 20.9% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 21.3% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 21.7% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 22.1% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 22.6% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 23.1% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 23.4% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 23.7% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.9% | 14.3% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.8% | 18.1% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.0% | 22.1% | 23.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 3.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0125 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, male, per capita 0.0617 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 3.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0147 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, female, annual growth rate 2.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, female, per capita 0.054 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using safely managed sanitation services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- People using safely managed sanitation services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 23.7% 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 sanitation services, rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using safely managed sanitation services, rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for people using safely managed sanitation services, rural?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 21st out of 26 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people using safely managed sanitation services, rural rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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 sanitation services, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed of in situ or transported and treated offsite. Improved sanitation facilities include flush/pour flush to piped sewer systems, septic tanks or pit latrines: ventilated improved pit latrines, composting toilets or pit latrines with slabs.