Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia
Somalia: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 8.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia, 2015–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
In 2025, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia stood at 8.1%. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.8% on the previous year and up 471.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia peaked at 8.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2016.
Somalia ranks 178th of 197 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1.4% | — |
| 2016 | 1.3% | -7.5% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | +69.1% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | +33.2% |
| 2019 | 4.3% | +44.8% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | -30.1% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | +21.8% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | -24.3% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +30.0% |
| 2024 | 7.0% | +93.7% |
| 2025 | 8.1% | +16.8% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 8.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 14.4%, 56% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 8.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.2%, 57% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 4.3% | 5 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 2.8% | 8.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More education data for Somalia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4,504 (2007)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 676 (1986)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 882 (1986)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 115,828 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 464,607 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -7.59 % change on previous year (1986)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0253 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Somalia was 8.1% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2016.
- How does Somalia rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Somalia ranks 178th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 471.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release