Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water was 31.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa is 31.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 31.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 17.4%, in 2000.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 29th out of 32 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.4% | — |
| 2001 | 17.7% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 18.1% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 18.5% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 19.0% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 19.5% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 20.1% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 20.6% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 21.3% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 21.9% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 22.6% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 23.0% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 23.7% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 24.4% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 25.2% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 26.0% | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 26.8% | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 27.6% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 28.5% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 29.2% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 29.7% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 30.3% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 30.8% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 31.3% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 31.7% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.4% | 17.4% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.7% | 22.6% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.7% | 29.7% | 31.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
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More environment data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.223 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.21 °C (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 305.43 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Aquaculture production 904,662 metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.96 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Permanent meadows and pastures — Share in Agricultural land 72.81 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa was 31.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population using safely managed drinking water recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest proportion of population using safely managed drinking water recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.4% in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for proportion of population using safely managed drinking water?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 29th out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population using safely managed drinking water rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, by urban/rural (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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