Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female was 78.66 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
78.66 million
Change on year
up 2.5%
Rank
65th
of 203 groups
All-time high
78.66 million
in 2024
All-time low
44.11 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 78.66 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 78.66 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 44.11 million, in 1990.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 65th of 203 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 44.61 million | — |
| 1990 | 44.11 million | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 44.79 million | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 45.56 million | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 46.37 million | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 47.10 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 48.43 million | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 49.11 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 49.46 million | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 49.82 million | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 50.51 million | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 55.54 million | +9.9% |
| 2001 | 56.10 million | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 56.88 million | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 57.67 million | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 58.26 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 59.60 million | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 61.93 million | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 64.91 million | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 66.06 million | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 67.92 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 68.77 million | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 66.70 million | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 67.88 million | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 68.61 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 69.29 million | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 69.96 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 70.98 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 71.68 million | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 68.72 million | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 70.52 million | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 72.05 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 73.58 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 75.09 million | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 76.72 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 78.66 million | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 44.61 million | 44.61 million | 44.61 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 47.53 million | 44.11 million | 50.51 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.48 million | 55.54 million | 67.92 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.31 million | 66.70 million | 71.68 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.22 million | 72.05 million | 78.66 million | 5 |
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 78.66 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 78.66 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.11 million in 1990.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 65th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release