Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes was 135,452 in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
135,452
Change on year
up 18.4%
Rank
128th
of 216 groups
All-time high
135,452
in 2021
All-time low
25,753
in 1998
Years of data
24
1998–2021

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1998–2021

25.0k50.0k75.0k100.0k125.0k1998200920211998: 25.8k1999: 25.9k2000: 27.6k2001: 28.8k2002: 33.7k2003: 39.4k2004: 45.0k2005: 49.3k2006: 51.7k2007: 54.4k2008: 53.4k2009: 53.7k2010: 56.6k2011: 60.1k2012: 64.0k2013: 73.4k2014: 80.8k2015: 86.4k2016: 105.0k2017: 103.0k2018: 107.2k2019: 111.8k2020: 114.4k2021: 135.5k

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2021, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) stood at 135,452. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is up 18.4% on the previous year and up 125.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 135,452 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 25,753, in 1998.

That places ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) 128th out of 216 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 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number) in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1998 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1998 25,753
1999 25,877 +0.5%
2000 27,642 +6.8%
2001 28,841 +4.3%
2002 33,672 +16.7%
2003 39,385 +17.0%
2004 45,021 +14.3%
2005 49,347 +9.6%
2006 51,696 +4.8%
2007 54,390 +5.2%
2008 53,442 -1.7%
2009 53,675 +0.4%
2010 56,621 +5.5%
2011 60,082 +6.1%
2012 64,032 +6.6%
2013 73,396 +14.6%
2014 80,784 +10.1%
2015 86,436 +7.0%
2016 105,003 +21.5%
2017 103,048 -1.9%
2018 107,222 +4.1%
2019 111,773 +4.2%
2020 114,401 +2.4%
2021 135,452 +18.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 25,815 25,753 25,877 2
2000s 43,711 27,642 54,390 10
2010s 84,840 56,621 111,773 10
2020s 124,926 114,401 135,452 2

Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

  1. 125 Liechtenstein 213 compare
  2. 126 Honduras 159 compare
  3. 127 Malawi 154 compare
  4. 128 Barbados 133 compare
  5. 129 Montenegro 128 compare
  6. 130 El Salvador 116 compare
  7. 131 Turkmenistan 83 compare

See the full ranking of 359 places →

More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

All data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 135,452 in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
The highest recorded value was 135,452 in 2021.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
The lowest recorded value was 25,753 in 1998.
How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes?
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 128th out of 216 groups with data for 2021.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
Over the last ten years it is up 125.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-8-programmes-both-sexes-number-2/eca-sub-saharan-africa-unsdcode-98126/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
359 places, 7,935 data points, 1996–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release