Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 93.49 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
93.49 million
Change on year
up 2.6%
Rank
35th
of 203 groups
All-time high
93.49 million
in 2024
All-time low
50.74 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 93.49 million. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 93.49 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 50.74 million, in 1990.
That places MDG: Sub-saharan Africa 35th out of 203 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 51.42 million | — |
| 1990 | 50.74 million | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 51.81 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 52.74 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 53.50 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 54.46 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 55.79 million | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 56.58 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 56.84 million | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 57.33 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 57.65 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 60.75 million | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 61.48 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 61.08 million | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 62.38 million | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 62.83 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 65.66 million | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 69.68 million | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 73.13 million | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 74.75 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 76.04 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 77.36 million | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 76.37 million | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 75.83 million | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 76.46 million | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 77.76 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 79.00 million | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 80.37 million | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 82.26 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 79.95 million | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 81.36 million | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 83.74 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 86.94 million | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 89.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 91.17 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 93.49 million | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 51.42 million | 51.42 million | 51.42 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 54.74 million | 50.74 million | 57.65 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.78 million | 60.75 million | 76.04 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.67 million | 75.83 million | 82.26 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.87 million | 83.74 million | 93.49 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- 32 Chile 253,247 compare
- 33 Dominican Republic 252,186 compare
- 34 Türkiye 236,887 compare
- 35 Saudi Arabia 230,859 compare
- 36 Lao People's Democratic Republic 225,730 compare
- 37 Ecuador 202,597 compare
- 38 El Salvador 183,689 compare
More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 10.53 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 93.49 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 93.49 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.74 million in 1990.
- How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 35th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release