Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes was 73.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
73.1%
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
192nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
73.1%
in 2023
All-time low
30.6%
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 73.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 73.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 30.6%, in 1970.
That places UNICEF: West and Central Africa 192nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 30.6% | — |
| 1971 | 31.4% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 32.6% | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 33.6% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 33.6% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 34.1% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 34.7% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 37.6% | +8.5% |
| 1978 | 41.9% | +11.3% |
| 1979 | 45.7% | +9.1% |
| 1980 | 47.8% | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 50.4% | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 53.5% | +6.0% |
| 1983 | 54.4% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 54.8% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 53.4% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 50.8% | -4.9% |
| 1987 | 49.1% | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 48.3% | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 46.7% | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 46.5% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 47.7% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 48.4% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 49.5% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 49.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 49.3% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 46.9% | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 48.1% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 49.0% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 49.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 51.5% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 52.8% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 54.4% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 55.9% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 57.8% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 59.0% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 59.3% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 60.1% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 63.6% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 66.2% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 67.9% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 70.5% | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 68.9% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 68.4% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 68.1% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 68.6% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 69.1% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 70.3% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 71.2% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 72.0% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 72.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 73.1% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 73.1% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35.6% | 30.6% | 45.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.9% | 46.7% | 54.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.4% | 46.5% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.3% | 51.5% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.1% | 63.6% | 70.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.4% | 71.2% | 73.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 189 Tanzania, United Republic of 69.0% compare
- 190 Lao People's Democratic Republic 68.9% compare
- 191 Honduras 66.7% compare
- 192 Guinea 66.6% compare
- 193 Ethiopia 66.2% compare
- 194 Mauritania 66.0% compare
- 195 Senegal 64.1% compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 73.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 73.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.6% in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 192nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary and secondary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release