Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 1.92 million in 2021. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 1.92 million for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in 2021. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 1.92 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 749,464, in 1998.
That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 100th out of 218 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 749,464 | — |
| 1999 | 793,352 | +5.9% |
| 2000 | 894,703 | +12.8% |
| 2001 | 975,246 | +9.0% |
| 2002 | 1.06 million | +8.5% |
| 2003 | 1.14 million | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 1.21 million | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 1.37 million | +13.2% |
| 2006 | 1.37 million | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 1.39 million | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 1.42 million | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 1.47 million | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 1.52 million | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 1.51 million | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 1.56 million | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 1.65 million | +6.1% |
| 2014 | 1.69 million | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 1.75 million | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 1.67 million | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 1.70 million | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 1.76 million | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 1.82 million | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 1.91 million | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 1.92 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 771,408 | 749,464 | 793,352 | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.23 million | 894,703 | 1.47 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.66 million | 1.51 million | 1.82 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.92 million | 1.91 million | 1.92 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.50 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.24 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.52 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 1.92 million in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.92 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 749,464 in 1998.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 100th out of 218 groups with data for 2021.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UIS: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release