Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water was 54.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
54.7%
Change on year
up 2.6%
Rank
164th
of 178 groups
All-time high
54.7%
in 2024
All-time low
43.3%
in 2016
Years of data
9
2016–2024

Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 2016–2024

02040602016202020242016: 43.3 %2017: 43.9 %2018: 45.1 %2019: 45.9 %2020: 47.5 %2021: 48.9 %2022: 52.1 %2023: 53.3 %2024: 54.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 54.7%. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 26.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 54.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 43.3%, in 2016.

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 164th of 178 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%) in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 2016 to 2024.
Year % Change
2016 43.3%
2017 43.9% +1.5%
2018 45.1% +2.8%
2019 45.9% +1.7%
2020 47.5% +3.6%
2021 48.9% +2.9%
2022 52.1% +6.5%
2023 53.3% +2.4%
2024 54.7% +2.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 44.6% 43.3% 45.9% 4
2020s 51.3% 47.5% 54.7% 5

More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 54.7% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 54.7% in 2024.
What is the lowest proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 43.3% in 2016.
How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water?
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 164th out of 178 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-primary-schools-with-access-to-basic-drinking-water-percent-2/sdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
295 places, 3,170 data points, 1999–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release