Water is the essence of life, crucial for various daily activities. However, many African countries continue to grapple with inadequate access to clean water.
According to the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Joint Monitoring Programme, the following African nations face significant challenges in accessing clean water.
Here are the 8 African Countries without Clean Water in 2024:
1. Niger
Niger, the largest country in West Africa, struggles with severe water scarcity due to frequent droughts and desert climate conditions, leaving 54% of its population without access to clean water.
2. The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa’s second-largest nation, faces persistent challenges from war, disease, and extreme poverty.
Approximately 64% of the population lives in dire conditions, making it one of the world’s poorest countries.
Many Congolese rely on contaminated water for daily needs, exposing them to diseases like diarrhea and cholera.
3. Ghana
Ghana is, with 14.9 million people lacking access to clean water. Ghana has seen significant improvement, with a 16.34% increase in access to clean water since 2012 .
4. Ivory Coast
12.4 million people in Ivory Coast lack access to clean water. Although the country has made some progress, there’s still much work to be done, with a 15.15% increase in access to clean water since 2012 .
5. Senegal
With 4.6 million people lacking access to clean water, Senegal is another African nation struggling to provide clean water for its citizens. The country has seen a 3.11% increase in access to clean water since 2012.
6. Zimbabwe
Rounding out the top 5 is Zimbabwe, with 4.3 million people lacking access to clean water. Unfortunately, the country has seen a -1.3% decline in access to clean water since 2012 .
7. Chad
Chad, a landlocked nation, struggles with severe food and water shortages due to recurring droughts and refugee influx. Alarmingly, 54% of children lack basic water services, and only 10% have access to sanitary facilities. Approximately 44% of the population, including hundreds of thousands of refugees, lacks access to safe drinking water.
8. Ethiopia
Ethiopia, with a population of 120 million, faces a dire water crisis, with over 64 million lacking basic access to clean water. Despite abundant rainfall in the northern highlands, severe droughts and fluctuations, particularly affecting rural residents (80% of the population), have led to widespread water scarcity.