Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes was 95.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
95.8%
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
178th
of 221 groups
All-time high
95.8%
in 2024
All-time low
50.7%
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 95.8%. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 95.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 50.7%, in 1970.
That places UNICEF: West and Central Africa 178th 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, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 50.7% | — |
| 1971 | 52.1% | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 53.7% | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 55.0% | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 55.0% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 55.2% | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 55.6% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 60.4% | +8.6% |
| 1978 | 67.3% | +11.4% |
| 1979 | 73.2% | +8.8% |
| 1980 | 75.9% | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 79.4% | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 83.6% | +5.3% |
| 1983 | 83.8% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 83.1% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 80.3% | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 74.9% | -6.6% |
| 1987 | 71.9% | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 70.6% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 68.5% | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 68.1% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 70.6% | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 71.9% | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 73.9% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 74.0% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 73.4% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 68.8% | -6.3% |
| 1997 | 71.1% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 72.7% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 73.2% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 76.4% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 77.4% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 79.4% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 83.0% | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 84.5% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 85.8% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 84.3% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 83.6% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 85.1% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 85.7% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 88.8% | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 90.9% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 92.1% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 91.5% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 89.6% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 89.8% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 90.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 90.8% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 92.0% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 92.9% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 93.7% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 94.7% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 95.7% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 95.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.8% | 50.7% | 73.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 77.2% | 68.5% | 83.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.8% | 68.1% | 74.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 82.0% | 76.4% | 85.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.2% | 85.7% | 92.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 94.5% | 92.9% | 95.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
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, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 95.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 95.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.7% in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 178th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. 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, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release