Imagine living in a country where there is no access to clean water. Unfortunately, this is still a major problem in many African countries.
These are the African countries that still lack access to clean water, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP), which monitors global progress in safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
African countries without clean water in 2024
1. Nigeria
Niger, the largest country in West Africa, faces major obstacles to access to clean water: 54 percent of the population has no access due to recurring water shortages and droughts in the desert climate.
2. Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea’s rural population, mostly living in remote communities, faces water and sanitation problems and lacks basic hygiene measures.
In addition, the country is one of the most disaster-prone countries in Africa, as cyclones and floods regularly cause major damage.
3. The Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa’s second largest country, is plagued by constant war and disease. Almost 64% of the population lives in extreme poverty, making the country one of the five poorest countries in the world.
Many people in Congo use dirty water for drinking, cooking and washing, which can lead to diseases such as diarrhea and cholera that can severely affect their lives.
4. Chad
The landlocked country of Chad suffers from acute food and water shortages due to recurring droughts and refugee migration. 54% of children do not have access to basic water supplies and only one in ten children has access to sanitation facilities.
Approximately 44% of the population lacks access to clean drinking water, including hundreds of thousands of refugees in vulnerable host communities.
5. Ethiopia
Ethiopia, with a population of 120 million, is suffering from a severe water crisis; more than 64 million people do not have access to clean water.
Despite significant rainfall in the northern highlands, severe droughts and water fluctuations have led to water shortages, particularly for the rural population, which accounts for 80% of the population.
