Statistical Survey of Water and Sanitation Access in Rural Communities of Kwara State

Access to safe water and adequate sanitation in rural Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, falls significantly below national and global targets, yet granular statistical characterisation of access deficits at the community level is limited. This study conducts a statistical survey of water and sanitation access indicators among rural communities in Kwara State. A two-stage cluster sample enrolled 270 households from 18 rural communities across Ilorin West, Moro, and Ekiti LGAs. Household-level data were collected on primary water source, water treatment practice, latrine ownership, open defecation status, and handwashing facility availability. Proportions and 95 percent confidence intervals were computed for each access indicator. Associations between socioeconomic variables and access outcomes were tested by chi-square analysis. Safe drinking water access was reported by 42.6 percent of households (95% CI: 36.8 to 48.4 percent). Improved sanitation access stood at 31.4 percent. Open defecation was practised in 48.9 percent of households without latrines. Handwashing facility availability was 28.1 percent. Significant associations were found between household asset quintile and water access (chi-square = 29.4, p < 0.001) and between household head education level and sanitation access (chi-square = 17.8, p = 0.001). The study provides a statistically grounded WASH baseline for Kwara State rural communities and recommends targeted borehole construction, community-led total sanitation campaigns, and handwashing behaviour change communication programmes. Keywords: water sanitation access, rural communities, Kwara State, survey statistics, WASH indicators