Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa: Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water was 55.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, 2016–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa is 55.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 55.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 44.8%, in 2016.
That places UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa 153rd out of 178 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 44.8% | — |
| 2017 | 45.5% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 46.7% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 47.5% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 49.1% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 50.3% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 53.4% | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 54.6% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 55.9% | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 46.1% | 44.8% | 47.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 52.7% | 49.1% | 55.9% | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 10.53 million (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.35 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa was 55.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 55.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.8% in 2016.
- How does UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa rank for proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water?
- UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 153rd out of 178 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of primary schools with access to basic drinking water rising or falling in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release