Enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa

MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Enrolment in secondary education, female was 39.14 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
39.14 million
Change on year
up 1.6%
Rank
63rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
39.14 million
in 2024
All-time low
2.22 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 39.14 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 49.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 39.14 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.22 million, in 1971.

MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 63rd of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in secondary education, female (number) in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 2.24 million
1971 2.22 million -0.9%
1972 2.40 million +8.3%
1973 2.54 million +5.8%
1974 2.65 million +4.2%
1975 2.81 million +5.8%
1976 2.90 million +3.4%
1977 3.07 million +5.7%
1978 3.31 million +7.9%
1979 3.55 million +7.2%
1980 3.87 million +9.0%
1981 4.30 million +11.0%
1982 4.70 million +9.4%
1983 4.93 million +4.8%
1984 5.23 million +6.1%
1985 5.80 million +11.0%
1986 6.04 million +4.1%
1987 6.39 million +5.7%
1988 6.60 million +3.3%
1989 6.62 million +0.4%
1990 6.94 million +4.8%
1991 7.29 million +5.0%
1992 7.53 million +3.4%
1993 7.86 million +4.3%
1994 8.15 million +3.8%
1995 8.74 million +7.2%
1996 9.12 million +4.3%
1997 9.40 million +3.0%
1998 9.86 million +4.9%
1999 10.23 million +3.8%
2000 10.64 million +4.0%
2001 11.46 million +7.6%
2002 12.03 million +5.0%
2003 12.93 million +7.4%
2004 13.91 million +7.6%
2005 14.76 million +6.1%
2006 15.60 million +5.7%
2007 16.25 million +4.2%
2008 17.87 million +10.0%
2009 19.41 million +8.6%
2010 21.11 million +8.8%
2011 22.37 million +6.0%
2012 23.94 million +7.0%
2013 26.25 million +9.6%
2014 26.26 million +0.0%
2015 27.44 million +4.5%
2016 28.09 million +2.4%
2017 29.31 million +4.3%
2018 30.56 million +4.3%
2019 32.20 million +5.4%
2020 34.10 million +5.9%
2021 35.67 million +4.6%
2022 36.94 million +3.6%
2023 38.52 million +4.3%
2024 39.14 million +1.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.77 million 2.22 million 3.55 million 10
1980s 5.45 million 3.87 million 6.62 million 10
1990s 8.51 million 6.94 million 10.23 million 10
2000s 14.49 million 10.64 million 19.41 million 10
2010s 26.76 million 21.11 million 32.20 million 10
2020s 36.87 million 34.10 million 39.14 million 5

Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 60 Senegal 705,639 compare
  2. 61 Romania 694,968 compare
  3. 62 Burkina Faso 649,886 compare
  4. 63 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 638,622 compare
  5. 64 Tajikistan 617,133 compare
  6. 65 Cambodia 616,409 compare
  7. 66 Mali 614,377 compare

See the full ranking of 439 places →

More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 39.14 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 39.14 million in 2024.
What is the lowest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2.22 million in 1971.
How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for enrolment in secondary education, female?
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 63rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in secondary education, female rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 49.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in secondary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in secondary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-secondary-education-female-number-2/mdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in secondary education, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
439 places, 18,761 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release