Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 1.27 million in 2021. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 1.27 million, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 40.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 1.27 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 389,540, in 1998.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 124th of 218 groups on this measure, 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 UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 389,540 | — |
| 1999 | 415,045 | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 493,894 | +19.0% |
| 2001 | 554,482 | +12.3% |
| 2002 | 616,054 | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 678,257 | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 714,837 | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 866,832 | +21.3% |
| 2006 | 847,146 | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 850,736 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 861,318 | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 892,412 | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 932,064 | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 909,331 | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 961,365 | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 1.05 million | +9.0% |
| 2014 | 1.09 million | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 1.14 million | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 1.10 million | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 1.11 million | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 1.14 million | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 1.20 million | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 1.25 million | +4.0% |
| 2021 | 1.27 million | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 402,292 | 389,540 | 415,045 | 2 |
| 2000s | 737,597 | 493,894 | 892,412 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.06 million | 909,331 | 1.20 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.26 million | 1.25 million | 1.27 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 121 Burkina Faso 1,715 compare
- 122 Grenada 1,696 compare
- 123 Mali 1,497 compare
- 124 Saint Lucia 1,314 compare
- 125 Comoros 1,080 compare
- 126 Czechia 1,070 compare
- 127 Luxembourg 829 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 1.27 million in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.27 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 389,540 in 1998.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 124th out of 218 groups with data for 2021.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central 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