What is the difference in people using improved drinking water sources between China and Nigeria?

28.38 million people, with China ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and Nigeria?

25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.

Where does this data come from?

WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

China vs Nigeria: People using improved drinking water sources

China

51.73 million people

in 2024

Nigeria

23.34 million people

in 2024

China rank

1st

Nigeria rank

3rd

People using improved drinking water sources over time

China
Nigeria

How they compare

China currently reports 51.73 million people against 23.34 million people in Nigeria, a difference of 28.38 million people.

That makes China's figure about 2.2 times Nigeria's.

Across all 25 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.

China ranks 1st and Nigeria ranks 3rd of 231 countries.

China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	Nigeria	Difference	Ahead
2000s	175.01 million people	30.15 million people	144.85 million people	China
2010s	101.04 million people	28.65 million people	72.39 million people	China
2020s	59.15 million people	24.80 million people	34.35 million people	China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people using improved drinking water sources, China or Nigeria?: China, at 51.73 million people against 23.34 million people in Nigeria as of 2024.
What is the difference in people using improved drinking water sources between China and Nigeria?: 28.38 million people, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Nigeria?: 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do China and Nigeria rank globally for people using improved drinking water sources?: China ranks 1st and Nigeria ranks 3rd of 231 countries.
Where does this data come from?: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Nigeria: People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/number-of-people-in-the-world-with-and-without-access-to-improved-water-sources/china/nigeria/

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<a href="https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/number-of-people-in-the-world-with-and-without-access-to-improved-water-sources/china/nigeria/">China vs Nigeria: People using improved drinking water sources</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: People using improved drinking water sources
Unit: people
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 231 places, 5,586 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Number of people using only unimproved drinking water sources.