Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)

WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male was 5.90 million in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
5.90 million
Change on year
up 3.5%
Rank
125th
of 221 groups
All-time high
5.90 million
in 2021
All-time low
230,915
in 1971
Years of data
52
1970–2021

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income), 1970–2021

02.0M4.0M6.0M197019952021

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) is 5.90 million, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.

The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 45.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) peaked at 5.90 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 230,915, in 1971.

That places WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) 125th out of 221 groups with data for 2021, putting it 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, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income), year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income), 1970 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1970 236,878
1971 230,915 -2.5%
1972 255,535 +10.7%
1973 259,647 +1.6%
1974 281,370 +8.4%
1975 301,204 +7.0%
1976 322,746 +7.2%
1977 351,497 +8.9%
1978 387,394 +10.2%
1979 432,631 +11.7%
1980 469,516 +8.5%
1981 520,046 +10.8%
1982 577,523 +11.1%
1983 609,688 +5.6%
1984 635,825 +4.3%
1985 692,036 +8.8%
1986 745,821 +7.8%
1987 774,235 +3.8%
1988 847,710 +9.5%
1989 920,005 +8.5%
1990 967,039 +5.1%
1991 1.02 million +5.9%
1992 1.08 million +5.5%
1993 1.15 million +6.6%
1994 1.21 million +5.1%
1995 1.27 million +4.8%
1996 1.32 million +4.1%
1997 1.38 million +4.4%
1998 1.43 million +3.9%
1999 1.48 million +3.3%
2000 1.66 million +12.0%
2001 1.85 million +11.7%
2002 2.04 million +10.2%
2003 2.27 million +11.6%
2004 2.44 million +7.1%
2005 2.64 million +8.5%
2006 2.78 million +5.3%
2007 2.94 million +5.5%
2008 3.18 million +8.4%
2009 3.44 million +8.1%
2010 3.76 million +9.2%
2011 4.06 million +8.0%
2012 4.28 million +5.3%
2013 4.54 million +6.2%
2014 4.75 million +4.6%
2015 4.91 million +3.4%
2016 5.02 million +2.3%
2017 5.20 million +3.6%
2018 5.37 million +3.3%
2019 5.50 million +2.3%
2020 5.70 million +3.6%
2021 5.90 million +3.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 305,982 230,915 432,631 10
1980s 679,240 469,516 920,005 10
1990s 1.23 million 967,039 1.48 million 10
2000s 2.52 million 1.66 million 3.44 million 10
2010s 4.74 million 3.76 million 5.50 million 10
2020s 5.80 million 5.70 million 5.90 million 2

Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)

  1. 122 Lithuania 42,492 compare
  2. 123 Armenia 40,588 compare
  3. 124 Slovenia 33,799 compare
  4. 125 Republic of Moldova 33,513 compare
  5. 126 Congo 33,072 compare
  6. 127 Zambia 32,186 compare
  7. 128 Latvia 30,806 compare

See the full ranking of 416 places →

More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)

All data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) was 5.90 million in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
The highest recorded value was 5.90 million in 2021.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
The lowest recorded value was 230,915 in 1971.
How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male?
WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) ranks 125th out of 221 groups with data for 2021.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 45.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this WB: 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-male-number-2/wb-sub-saharan-africa-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
416 places, 17,221 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release