In several parts of the world, access to proper sanitation remains a serious challenge. Many communities still lack household toilets or safe waste disposal systems, often due to water shortages, economic hardship or limited infrastructure.
According to the World Health Organization, over 1.5 billion people globally continue to live without even the most basic sanitation facilities at home, highlighting an ongoing public health and development concern.
According to 2026 data from World Population Review, access to safe and adequate sanitation remains a pressing global concern. The findings highlight how millions still live without proper toilet facilities, with Africa emerging as one of the regions facing the most significant sanitation challenges worldwide.
1. Niger: 65 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
A majority of Niger's population does not have basic sanitation facilities. With more than four-fifths of the country lying within the Sahara desert, persistent water scarcity and the severe droughts of the 1970s and 1980s have had a lasting impact on infrastructure and living conditions.
2. Chad: 63 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
Close to 63 per cent of Chad’s population still resorts to open defecation. This lack of proper hygiene infrastructure has contributed to the spread of endemic illnesses like cholera, malaria, typhoid, posing ongoing public health challenges. And 43 per cent lack the ability to wash their hands at home.
3. South Sudan: 60 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
In South Sudan too outdoor defecation is the only option for 60 per cent people. Recurring and increasingly severe floods, particularly since 2018, have inundated safe water sources and sanitation infrastructure, further complicating access to basic hygiene facilities.
4. Benin: 49 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
Nearly half the population in Benin do not have access to bathrooms. Like several other African countries, the nation continues to face sanitation challenges linked to limited infrastructure, economic constraints and uneven basic facilities.
5. São Tomé And Príncipe: 42 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
This tiny island country in the Gulf of Guinea, located off Central Africa’s west-equatorial coastline, still faces glaring sanitation challenges, with roughly 42 per cent of its population lacking proper toilet access.
6. Togo: 39 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
Togo has made gradual improvements, yet many families -- around 39 per cent -- especially in rural regions, still struggle to access safe and hygienic sanitation facilities. Add to that 74 per cent folks do not have hand washing facilities at home.
7. Namibia: 37 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
Although relatively more developed than some of its neighbours, sanitation inequality persists, at around 37 per cent, particularly in informal settlements and remote communities.
India at No 30: 11 Per Cent Without Toilet Access
Standing 30th on this list, after Cambodia and Laos in Asia, around 11 per cent of India's population is still estimated to lack access to proper toilet facilities.
Although sanitation coverage has improved significantly in recent years. Its neighbours fair better with 0.5 per cent population lacking toilets in China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and 7 per cent in Pakistan and Nepal.
© 2026