Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)
WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income): Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 2.04 million in 2021. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income), 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) is 2.04 million, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) peaked at 2.04 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 770,388, in 1998.
That places WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) 95th 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 WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 770,388 | — |
| 1999 | 815,296 | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 918,021 | +12.6% |
| 2001 | 1.00 million | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 1.09 million | +8.7% |
| 2003 | 1.18 million | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 1.25 million | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 1.42 million | +13.2% |
| 2006 | 1.43 million | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 1.45 million | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 1.48 million | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 1.54 million | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 1.59 million | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 1.58 million | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 1.63 million | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 1.74 million | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 1.79 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 1.85 million | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 1.78 million | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 1.81 million | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 1.88 million | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 1.93 million | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 2.03 million | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 2.04 million | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 792,842 | 770,388 | 815,296 | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.28 million | 918,021 | 1.54 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.76 million | 1.58 million | 1.93 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.03 million | 2.03 million | 2.04 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)
More education data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.08 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.36 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 10.53 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.34 % change on previous year (2021)
All data for WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) was 2.04 million in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
- The highest recorded value was 2.04 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 770,388 in 1998.
- How does WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income) ranks 95th out of 218 groups with data for 2021.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in WB: Sub-saharan Africa (excluding High Income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, 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