People not using improved sanitation facilities in Nigeria
Nigeria: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 84.29 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using improved sanitation facilities 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
In 2024, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Nigeria stood at 84.29 million people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Nigeria peaked at 84.29 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 59.80 million people, in 2000.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 59.80 million people | — |
| 2001 | 60.98 million people | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 62.19 million people | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 63.40 million people | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 64.63 million people | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 65.86 million people | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 67.08 million people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 68.30 million people | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 69.54 million people | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 70.77 million people | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 72.00 million people | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 73.23 million people | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 74.44 million people | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 75.60 million people | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 76.71 million people | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 77.71 million people | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 78.66 million people | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 79.57 million people | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 80.36 million people | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 81.04 million people | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 81.65 million people | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 82.21 million people | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 82.74 million people | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 83.26 million people | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 84.29 million people | +1.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 84.29 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.57 million people, 53.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 84.29 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.36 million people, 15.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 65.25 million people | 59.80 million people | 70.77 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.93 million people | 72.00 million people | 81.04 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.83 million people | 81.65 million people | 84.29 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More reference data data for Nigeria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 19.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 81.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 14.27 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in Nigeria?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in Nigeria was 84.29 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 Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 84.29 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.80 million people in 2000.
- How does Nigeria rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. 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 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.