People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger
Niger: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 7.99 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger, 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
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger is 7.99 million people, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger peaked at 8.10 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.49 million people, in 2000.
That places Niger 11th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.49 million people | — |
| 2001 | 6.58 million people | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 6.68 million people | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 6.78 million people | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 6.89 million people | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 6.99 million people | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 7.09 million people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 7.20 million people | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 7.30 million people | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 7.40 million people | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 7.50 million people | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 7.60 million people | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 7.69 million people | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 7.79 million people | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 7.87 million people | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 7.94 million people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 8.01 million people | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 8.05 million people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 8.09 million people | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 8.10 million people | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 8.10 million people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8.09 million people | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 8.07 million people | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 8.04 million people | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 7.99 million people | -0.5% |
Niger compared with similar countries
- Niger's 7.99 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 2.34 million people, 3.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Niger's 7.99 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.93 million people, 4.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.94 million people | 6.49 million people | 7.40 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.86 million people | 7.50 million people | 8.10 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.06 million people | 7.99 million people | 8.10 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Niger
More environment data for Niger
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 4.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.65 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.334 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.68 % 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 2.69 % 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Niger was 7.99 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Niger?
- The highest recorded value was 8.10 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Niger?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.49 million people in 2000.
- How does Niger rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Niger ranks 11th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Niger?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Niger 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.