Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female was 914,360 in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
914,360
Change on year
up 0.3%
Rank
97th
of 218 groups
All-time high
914,360
in 2021
All-time low
358,746
in 1998
Years of data
24
1998–2021

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1998–2021

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1.0M1998200920211998: 358.7k1999: 379.1k2000: 418.3k2001: 452.1k2002: 485.1k2003: 519.2k2004: 551.9k2005: 628.5k2006: 629.4k2007: 643.1k2008: 647.6k2009: 675.4k2010: 687.6k2011: 676.8k2012: 701.0k2013: 745.2k2014: 761.2k2015: 799.6k2016: 775.8k2017: 791.8k2018: 832.7k2019: 865.4k2020: 911.4k2021: 914.4k

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 914,360, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 35.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 914,360 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 358,746, in 1998.

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 97th 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, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female (number) in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1998 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1998 358,746
1999 379,115 +5.7%
2000 418,348 +10.3%
2001 452,146 +8.1%
2002 485,073 +7.3%
2003 519,235 +7.0%
2004 551,918 +6.3%
2005 628,528 +13.9%
2006 629,445 +0.1%
2007 643,135 +2.2%
2008 647,563 +0.7%
2009 675,382 +4.3%
2010 687,557 +1.8%
2011 676,846 -1.6%
2012 700,999 +3.6%
2013 745,205 +6.3%
2014 761,161 +2.1%
2015 799,610 +5.1%
2016 775,826 -3.0%
2017 791,796 +2.1%
2018 832,721 +5.2%
2019 865,352 +3.9%
2020 911,381 +5.3%
2021 914,360 +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 368,930 358,746 379,115 2
2000s 565,077 418,348 675,382 10
2010s 763,707 676,846 865,352 10
2020s 912,870 911,381 914,360 2

Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 94 Germany 4,224 compare
  2. 95 Guyana 4,170 compare
  3. 96 Slovenia 3,837 compare
  4. 97 Qatar 3,798 compare
  5. 98 Eswatini 3,560 compare
  6. 99 Barbados 2,794 compare
  7. 100 Trinidad and Tobago 2,717 compare

See the full ranking of 364 places →

More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 914,360 in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 914,360 in 2021.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 358,746 in 1998.
How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female?
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 97th out of 218 groups with data for 2021.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-female-number-2/sdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
364 places, 7,676 data points, 1997–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release