Enrolment in secondary education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
UNICEF: 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 UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 39.14 million for enrolment in secondary education, female in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure 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 UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 39.14 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.22 million, in 1971.
UNICEF: 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 UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| 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
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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 UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
- 60 Senegal 705,639 compare
- 61 Romania 694,968 compare
- 62 Burkina Faso 649,886 compare
- 63 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 638,622 compare
- 64 Tajikistan 617,133 compare
- 65 Cambodia 616,409 compare
- 66 Mali 614,377 compare
More education data for UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- 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, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.54 million (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in secondary education, female in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Enrolment in secondary education, female in UNICEF: 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 UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 39.14 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.22 million in 1971.
- How does UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa rank for enrolment in secondary education, female?
- UNICEF: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 63rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in secondary education, female rising or falling in UNICEF: 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 UNICEF: 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release