Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes was 127,857 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 127,857, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 19.5% on the previous year and up 125.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 127,857 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 24,663, in 1998.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 130th 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 SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 24,663 | — |
| 1999 | 24,743 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 26,443 | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 27,316 | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 31,904 | +16.8% |
| 2003 | 37,700 | +18.2% |
| 2004 | 42,931 | +13.9% |
| 2005 | 46,950 | +9.4% |
| 2006 | 48,927 | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 51,622 | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 50,309 | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 50,394 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 53,178 | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 56,619 | +6.5% |
| 2012 | 60,402 | +6.7% |
| 2013 | 68,256 | +13.0% |
| 2014 | 74,818 | +9.6% |
| 2015 | 79,746 | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 98,060 | +23.0% |
| 2017 | 95,953 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 99,779 | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 104,360 | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 106,986 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 127,857 | +19.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24,703 | 24,663 | 24,743 | 2 |
| 2000s | 41,449 | 26,443 | 51,622 | 10 |
| 2010s | 79,117 | 53,178 | 104,360 | 10 |
| 2020s | 117,422 | 106,986 | 127,857 | 2 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- 127 Malawi 154 compare
- 128 Barbados 133 compare
- 129 Montenegro 128 compare
- 130 El Salvador 116 compare
- 131 Turkmenistan 83 compare
- 132 Kuwait 73 compare
- 133 Cape Verde 62 compare
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 78.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.49 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.94 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 127,857 in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 127,857 in 2021.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 24,663 in 1998.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 130th out of 216 groups with data for 2021.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 125.8%. 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 8 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release