Literacy rates among adults in Niger
Niger: Literacy rates among adults was 35.6% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in Niger, 2001–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rates among adults in Niger is 35.6%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in Niger peaked at 35.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14.4%, in 2001.
That places Niger 88th out of 89 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Literacy rates among adults in Niger, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 14.4% | — |
| 2005 | 28.7% | +99.4% |
| 2012 | 30.6% | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 29.0% | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 33.0% | +13.8% |
| 2022 | 35.6% | +7.7% |
Niger compared with similar countries
- Niger's 35.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 60.5%, 59% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Niger's 35.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70.9%, 50% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.5% | 14.4% | 28.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 30.9% | 29.0% | 33.0% | 3 |
| 2020s | 35.6% | 35.6% | 35.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Niger
More education data for Niger
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 28,148 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 208,506 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 94,973 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 98,608 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 870,368 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.00 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.6666 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1111 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates among adults in Niger?
- Literacy rates among adults in Niger was 35.6% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates among adults recorded in Niger?
- The highest recorded value was 35.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in Niger?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.4% in 2001.
- How does Niger rank for literacy rates among adults?
- Niger ranks 88th out of 89 countries with data for 2022.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in Niger?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Niger data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.