People not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya
Kenya: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 17.81 million people in 2024. ▬ Flat
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya, 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 not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya is 17.81 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya peaked at 20.05 million people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 17.81 million people, in 2024.
Kenya ranks 12th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.26 million people | — |
| 2001 | 18.48 million people | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 18.69 million people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 18.89 million people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 19.08 million people | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 19.26 million people | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 19.43 million people | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 19.59 million people | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 19.73 million people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 19.87 million people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 19.97 million people | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 20.03 million people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 20.05 million people | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 20.03 million people | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 19.96 million people | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 19.86 million people | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 19.74 million people | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 19.59 million people | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 19.41 million people | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 19.19 million people | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 18.95 million people | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 18.69 million people | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 18.41 million people | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 18.12 million people | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 17.81 million people | -1.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 17.81 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.57 million people, 11.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 17.81 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.36 million people, 3.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.13 million people | 18.26 million people | 19.87 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.78 million people | 19.19 million people | 20.05 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.39 million people | 17.81 million people | 18.95 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in Kenya was 17.81 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 sanitation facilities recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 20.05 million people in 2012.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.81 million people in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Kenya ranks 12th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Kenya 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 sanitation facilities. 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
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.