People not using improved drinking water sources in Nigeria
Nigeria: People not using improved drinking water sources was 32.13 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using improved drinking water sources in Nigeria, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Nigeria recorded 32.13 million people for people not using improved drinking water sources in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and down 35.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Nigeria peaked at 59.42 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 32.13 million people, in 2024.
That places Nigeria 3rd out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 59.42 million people | — |
| 2001 | 59.07 million people | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 58.68 million people | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 58.25 million people | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 57.77 million people | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 57.23 million people | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 56.62 million people | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 55.96 million people | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 55.25 million people | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 54.46 million people | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 53.62 million people | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 52.71 million people | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 51.73 million people | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 50.64 million people | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 49.46 million people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 48.15 million people | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 46.74 million people | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 45.25 million people | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 43.64 million people | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 41.91 million people | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 40.09 million people | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 38.20 million people | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 36.24 million people | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 34.22 million people | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 32.13 million people | -6.1% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 32.13 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 912,712 people, 35.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 32.13 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.99 million people, 16.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 57.27 million people | 54.46 million people | 59.42 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.38 million people | 41.91 million people | 53.62 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.18 million people | 32.13 million people | 40.09 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More environment data for Nigeria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.07 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.281 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.78 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.4617 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved drinking water sources in Nigeria?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Nigeria was 32.13 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 59.42 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.13 million people in 2024.
- How does Nigeria rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
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.