Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Nigeria
Nigeria: Share of urban population using at least basic water services was 95.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population using at least basic water services 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 %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of urban population using at least basic water services in Nigeria stood at 95.1%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population using at least basic water services in Nigeria peaked at 95.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 68.7%, in 2000.
That places Nigeria 133rd out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 68.7% | — |
| 2001 | 69.3% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 70.3% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 71.4% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 72.5% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 73.6% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 74.7% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 75.7% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 76.9% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 78.0% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 79.1% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 80.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 81.4% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 82.5% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 83.7% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 84.8% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 86.0% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 87.2% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 88.4% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 89.6% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 90.8% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 92.0% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 93.2% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 94.4% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 95.1% | +0.7% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 95.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 94.4%, 1.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 95.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.8%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 73.1% | 68.7% | 78.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.3% | 79.1% | 89.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 93.1% | 90.8% | 95.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 130 Senegal 95.4% compare
- 131 El Salvador 95.2% compare
- 132 Cape Verde 95.1% compare
- 134 Indonesia 95.0% compare
- 135 Tajikistan 94.9% compare
- 136 Bosnia and Herzegovina 94.9% compare
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 share of urban population using at least basic water services in Nigeria?
- Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Nigeria was 95.1% 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 share of urban population using at least basic water services recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 95.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of urban population using at least basic water services recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.7% in 2000.
- How does Nigeria rank for share of urban population using at least basic water services?
- Nigeria ranks 133rd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of urban population using at least basic water services rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of urban population using at least basic water services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.