Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 61.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central stood at 61.2%. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 61.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 40.2%, in 1985.
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 194th of 203 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 40.2% | — |
| 1986 | 40.5% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 41.3% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 42.0% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 42.8% | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 43.5% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 44.4% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 45.1% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 46.0% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 46.9% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 47.0% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 47.9% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 48.9% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 50.3% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 51.1% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 47.6% | -6.9% |
| 2001 | 48.8% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 50.1% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 51.5% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 51.6% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 52.3% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 50.3% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 50.8% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 50.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 51.4% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 52.4% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 53.0% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 53.8% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 54.5% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 55.4% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 55.9% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 56.9% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 60.4% | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 60.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 60.2% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 60.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 60.8% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 61.0% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 61.2% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 41.3% | 40.2% | 42.8% | 5 |
| 1990s | 47.1% | 43.5% | 51.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.3% | 47.6% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.4% | 51.4% | 60.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.7% | 60.2% | 61.2% | 5 |
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in WB: Africa Western and Central was 61.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 61.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.2% in 1985.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 194th out of 203 groups with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release