Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female was 3.85 million number in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
3.85 million number
Change on year
up 3.2%
Rank
32nd
of 43 groups
All-time high
3.85 million number
in 2018
All-time low
155,222 number
in 1970
Years of data
49
1970–2018
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female 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 3.85 million number for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in 2018. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 73.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 3.85 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 155,222 number, in 1970.
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 32nd of 43 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 tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 155,222 number | — |
| 1971 | 159,232 number | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 163,832 number | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 169,503 number | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 180,532 number | +6.5% |
| 1975 | 190,405 number | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 201,216 number | +5.7% |
| 1977 | 215,009 number | +6.9% |
| 1978 | 230,461 number | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 250,228 number | +8.6% |
| 1980 | 268,905 number | +7.5% |
| 1981 | 291,029 number | +8.2% |
| 1982 | 314,152 number | +7.9% |
| 1983 | 330,641 number | +5.2% |
| 1984 | 349,408 number | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 374,202 number | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 401,182 number | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 425,485 number | +6.1% |
| 1988 | 448,777 number | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 484,109 number | +7.9% |
| 1990 | 506,011 number | +4.5% |
| 1991 | 551,010 number | +8.9% |
| 1992 | 598,302 number | +8.6% |
| 1993 | 661,306 number | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 736,603 number | +11.4% |
| 1995 | 787,140 number | +6.9% |
| 1996 | 843,942 number | +7.2% |
| 1997 | 897,190 number | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 959,386 number | +6.9% |
| 1999 | 1.03 million number | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 1.16 million number | +12.6% |
| 2001 | 1.29 million number | +11.1% |
| 2002 | 1.42 million number | +10.8% |
| 2003 | 1.55 million number | +9.0% |
| 2004 | 1.68 million number | +8.4% |
| 2005 | 1.83 million number | +8.7% |
| 2006 | 1.96 million number | +7.1% |
| 2007 | 2.07 million number | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 2.22 million number | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 2.43 million number | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 2.65 million number | +8.9% |
| 2011 | 2.80 million number | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 3.04 million number | +8.5% |
| 2013 | 3.27 million number | +7.5% |
| 2014 | 3.40 million number | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 3.53 million number | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 3.62 million number | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 3.73 million number | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 3.85 million number | +3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 191,564 number | 155,222 number | 250,228 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 368,789 number | 268,905 number | 484,109 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 756,853 number | 506,011 number | 1.03 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.76 million number | 1.16 million number | 2.43 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.32 million number | 2.65 million number | 3.85 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 3.85 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 3.85 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 155,222 number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 32nd out of 43 groups with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.1%. 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The total number of female students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.