India vs Nigeria: People not using improved drinking water sources

India
28.01 million people
in 2024
Nigeria
32.13 million people
in 2024
India rank
4th
Nigeria rank
3rd

People not using improved drinking water sources over time

  • India
  • Nigeria
50.0M100.0M150.0M200020122024

How they compare

Nigeria currently reports 32.13 million people against 28.01 million people in India, a difference of 4.12 million people.

That makes Nigeria's figure about 1.1 times India's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was India ahead.

India ranks 4th and Nigeria ranks 3rd of 231 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade India Nigeria Difference Ahead
2000s 147.43 million people 57.27 million people 90.16 million people India
2010s 93.31 million people 48.38 million people 44.92 million people India
2020s 42.54 million people 36.18 million people 6.36 million people India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people not using improved drinking water sources, India or Nigeria?
Nigeria, at 32.13 million people against 28.01 million people in India as of 2024.
What is the difference in people not using improved drinking water sources between India and Nigeria?
4.12 million people, with Nigeria ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for India and Nigeria?
25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do India and Nigeria rank globally for people not using improved drinking water sources?
India ranks 4th 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 not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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India vs Nigeria: People not 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 22 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/number-without-improved-water/india/nigeria/

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About this data

Indicator
People not 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

Number of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.