Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 8.86 million number in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
8.86 million number
Change on year
up 2.3%
Rank
36th
of 45 groups
All-time high
8.86 million number
in 2018
All-time low
381,638 number
in 1970
Years of data
49
1970–2018
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2018, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 8.86 million number. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 65.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 8.86 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 381,638 number, in 1970.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 36th out of 45 groups with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 381,638 number | — |
| 1971 | 391,961 number | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 410,433 number | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 430,170 number | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 463,576 number | +7.8% |
| 1975 | 494,131 number | +6.6% |
| 1976 | 526,568 number | +6.6% |
| 1977 | 569,543 number | +8.2% |
| 1978 | 621,811 number | +9.2% |
| 1979 | 687,894 number | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 744,490 number | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 817,048 number | +9.7% |
| 1982 | 887,202 number | +8.6% |
| 1983 | 935,025 number | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 988,558 number | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 1.07 million number | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 1.15 million number | +7.5% |
| 1987 | 1.20 million number | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 1.30 million number | +8.0% |
| 1989 | 1.40 million number | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 1.47 million number | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 1.57 million number | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 1.67 million number | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 1.81 million number | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 1.95 million number | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 2.05 million number | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 2.16 million number | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 2.26 million number | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 2.37 million number | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 2.49 million number | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 2.80 million number | +12.5% |
| 2001 | 3.12 million number | +11.5% |
| 2002 | 3.45 million number | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 3.81 million number | +10.5% |
| 2004 | 4.09 million number | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 4.43 million number | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 4.70 million number | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 4.97 million number | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 5.37 million number | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 5.84 million number | +8.7% |
| 2010 | 6.37 million number | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 6.83 million number | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 7.27 million number | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 7.75 million number | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 8.09 million number | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 8.33 million number | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 8.46 million number | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 8.66 million number | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 8.86 million number | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 497,772 number | 381,638 number | 687,894 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.05 million number | 744,490 number | 1.40 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.98 million number | 1.47 million number | 2.49 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.26 million number | 2.80 million number | 5.84 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.85 million number | 6.37 million number | 8.86 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.79 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.42 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9733 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 8.86 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 8.86 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 381,638 number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 36th out of 45 groups with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.