Do better institutions broaden access to sanitation in sub-sahara Africa?

Inadequate access to sanitation remains a persistent issue in sub-Saharan African countries, affecting children, women, and workers. We employ dynamic panel estimation to uncover the empirical relationship between institutions and access to sanitation in sub-Sahara Africa. We find that control of corruption, regulatory quality, and voice and accountability increase access to sanitation. Moreover, a dichotomy exists between rural and urban areas in that efficient corruption control, rule of law, and government effectiveness facilitate access to sanitation in rural areas. However, only voice and accountability matter in urban areas. These findings generate important policy implications in achieving universal access to sanitation.