Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male was 49.14 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
49.14 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
Rank
62nd
of 203 groups
All-time high
49.14 million
in 2024
All-time low
26.41 million
in 1990
Years of data
36
1989–2024
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1989–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 49.14 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 49.14 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26.41 million, in 1990.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 62nd 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, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 26.78 million | — |
| 1990 | 26.41 million | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 26.76 million | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 27.16 million | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 27.58 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 27.95 million | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 28.98 million | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 29.39 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 29.61 million | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 29.43 million | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 29.92 million | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 32.52 million | +8.7% |
| 2001 | 32.70 million | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 33.27 million | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 34.11 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 33.87 million | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 35.00 million | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 36.13 million | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 39.49 million | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 40.35 million | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 41.33 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 42.43 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 40.85 million | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 41.52 million | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 41.83 million | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 42.54 million | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 42.93 million | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 43.97 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 44.12 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 41.58 million | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 43.36 million | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 44.60 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 45.65 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 46.69 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 47.79 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 49.14 million | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 26.78 million | 26.78 million | 26.78 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 28.32 million | 26.41 million | 29.92 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.88 million | 32.52 million | 41.33 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.51 million | 40.85 million | 44.12 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.77 million | 44.60 million | 49.14 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 59 Uzbekistan 2 compare
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, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 49.14 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.14 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.41 million in 1990.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 62nd out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, male rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release