Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 8.90 million number in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
8.90 million number
Change on year
up 2.3%
Rank
34th
of 45 groups
All-time high
8.90 million number
in 2018
All-time low
383,613 number
in 1970
Years of data
49
1970–2018
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 8.90 million number for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2018. 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 (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 8.90 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 383,613 number, in 1970.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 34th of 45 groups on this measure, 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 (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 383,613 number | — |
| 1971 | 393,314 number | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 411,728 number | +4.7% |
| 1973 | 431,526 number | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 464,897 number | +7.7% |
| 1975 | 495,227 number | +6.5% |
| 1976 | 527,976 number | +6.6% |
| 1977 | 571,074 number | +8.2% |
| 1978 | 623,204 number | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 689,107 number | +10.6% |
| 1980 | 745,528 number | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 817,950 number | +9.7% |
| 1982 | 888,128 number | +8.6% |
| 1983 | 935,727 number | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 989,352 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 | 1.41 million number | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 1.48 million number | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 1.57 million number | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 1.67 million number | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 1.82 million number | +8.7% |
| 1994 | 1.95 million number | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 2.05 million number | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 2.16 million number | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 2.27 million number | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 2.38 million number | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 2.50 million number | +5.2% |
| 2000 | 2.81 million number | +12.5% |
| 2001 | 3.14 million number | +11.7% |
| 2002 | 3.46 million number | +10.3% |
| 2003 | 3.82 million number | +10.4% |
| 2004 | 4.11 million number | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 4.45 million number | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 4.72 million number | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 4.99 million number | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 5.39 million number | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 5.87 million number | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 6.40 million number | +9.1% |
| 2011 | 6.86 million number | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 7.31 million number | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 7.79 million number | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 8.13 million number | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 8.37 million number | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 8.50 million number | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 8.70 million number | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 8.90 million number | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 499,167 number | 383,613 number | 689,107 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.05 million number | 745,528 number | 1.41 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.98 million number | 1.48 million number | 2.50 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.28 million number | 2.81 million number | 5.87 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.89 million number | 6.40 million number | 8.90 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 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 0.9738 % 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 8.90 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 (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 8.90 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 383,613 number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 34th out of 45 groups with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- 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 (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.