Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ghana
Ghana: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 26.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ghana, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 26.9% for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ghana peaked at 42.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2024.
That places Ghana 45th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 42.3% | — |
| 2001 | 41.6% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 40.9% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 40.2% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 39.5% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 38.8% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 38.2% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 36.8% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 36.1% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 35.5% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 34.8% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 34.2% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 33.5% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 32.9% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 32.2% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 31.6% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 31.0% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 30.4% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 29.8% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 29.2% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 28.6% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 28.0% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 27.4% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 26.9% | -2.1% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 26.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 26.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.2% | 36.1% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.6% | 29.8% | 35.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.0% | 26.9% | 29.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ghana?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ghana was 26.9% 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 not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 42.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2024.
- How does Ghana rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Ghana ranks 45th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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 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.