Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 88.50 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
88.50 million
Change on year
up 2.7%
Rank
45th
of 203 groups
All-time high
88.50 million
in 2024
All-time low
49.01 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 88.50 million for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in 2024. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 88.50 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 49.01 million, in 1990.
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 45th of 203 groups on this measure, 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 SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 49.69 million | — |
| 1990 | 49.01 million | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 50.05 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 50.95 million | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 51.68 million | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 52.59 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 53.88 million | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 54.67 million | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 54.93 million | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 55.42 million | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 55.73 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 58.84 million | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 59.57 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 59.16 million | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 60.47 million | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 60.93 million | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 63.77 million | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 66.25 million | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 69.65 million | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 71.22 million | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 72.46 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 73.71 million | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 72.70 million | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 72.13 million | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 72.72 million | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 73.97 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 75.12 million | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 76.40 million | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 78.19 million | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 75.73 million | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 76.98 million | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 79.21 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 82.27 million | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 84.19 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 86.20 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 88.50 million | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 49.69 million | 49.69 million | 49.69 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.89 million | 49.01 million | 55.73 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.23 million | 58.84 million | 72.46 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.76 million | 72.13 million | 78.19 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.07 million | 79.21 million | 88.50 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 88.50 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 88.50 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.01 million in 1990.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 45th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: 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