Safely managed drinking water — all countries

Safely managed drinking water — Sub-Saharan Africa

Safely managed drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024 — 32.4%. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 14.6 pp.

2024 32.4% +0.5 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 32.4%2024
Period minimum 17.9%2000

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of population

Safely managed drinking water — Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–202415202530352000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 17.9%2001: 18.1%2002: 18.5%2003: 18.9%2004: 19.4%2005: 19.9%2006: 20.5%2007: 21%2008: 21.6%2009: 22.3%2010: 22.9%2011: 23.4%2012: 24.1%2013: 24.8%2014: 25.6%2015: 26.4%2016: 27.2%2017: 28%2018: 28.8%2019: 29.7%2020: 30.4%2021: 30.9%2022: 31.4%2023: 31.9%2024: 32.4%
Change over the period: +14.6 pp Annual average: 0.61 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 32.4%
World 73.7%
Safely managed drinking water — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 32.4 +0.5 pp
2023 31.9 +0.5 pp
2022 31.4 +0.5 pp
2021 30.9 +0.6 pp
2020 30.4 +0.7 pp
2019 29.7 +0.9 pp
2018 28.8 +0.9 pp
2017 28 +0.8 pp
2016 27.2 +0.8 pp
2015 26.4 +0.8 pp
2014 25.6 +0.8 pp
2013 24.8 +0.7 pp
2012 24.1 +0.7 pp
2011 23.4 +0.4 pp
2010 22.9 +0.7 pp
2009 22.3 +0.6 pp
2008 21.6 +0.6 pp
2007 21 +0.6 pp
2006 20.5 +0.5 pp
2005 19.9 +0.5 pp
2004 19.4 +0.5 pp
2003 18.9 +0.4 pp
2002 18.5 +0.4 pp
2001 18.1 +0.3 pp
2000 17.9

About the indicator

The share of the population with safely managed drinking water — the top rung of the WHO and UNICEF ladder. Three requirements at once: the source is improved and located in the dwelling or on the plot, water is available when it is needed, and it is free of contamination. It is this indicator that is written into Sustainable Development Goal 6.1, whereas the better-known “basic access” requires only an improved source within half an hour's walk — the gap between the two measures in some countries exceeds forty percentage points.

Important: Stricter than basic access on three counts at once. There are fewer territories than for the basic indicator: testing for contamination requires laboratory data, which are not available everywhere.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.