Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Nigeria
Nigeria: Share of population using safely managed sanitation was 32.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population using safely managed sanitation 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
Nigeria recorded 32.2% for share of population using safely managed sanitation in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population using safely managed sanitation in Nigeria peaked at 32.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.5%, in 2001.
Nigeria ranks 114th of 150 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20.5% | — |
| 2001 | 20.5% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 20.9% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 21.3% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 22.1% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 22.5% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 23.0% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 23.5% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 23.9% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 24.4% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 24.9% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 25.5% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 26.0% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 26.6% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 27.1% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 27.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 28.3% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 28.9% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 29.5% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 30.1% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 30.8% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 31.5% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 32.1% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 32.2% | +0.2% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 32.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37.3%, 86% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 32.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.6%, 1.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.0% | 20.5% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.9% | 24.4% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.3% | 30.1% | 32.2% | 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 share of population using safely managed sanitation in Nigeria?
- Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Nigeria was 32.2% 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 population using safely managed sanitation recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 32.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population using safely managed sanitation recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.5% in 2001.
- How does Nigeria rank for share of population using safely managed sanitation?
- Nigeria ranks 114th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population using safely managed sanitation rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.3%. 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 population using safely managed sanitation. 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
Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.