Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria
Nigeria: Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age was 15.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria, 2003–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria stood at 15.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.6% on the previous year and up 34.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria peaked at 30.3% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 11.4%, in 2011.
That places Nigeria 13th out of 37 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 30.3% | — |
| 2007 | 28.1% | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 19.2% | -31.6% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | -40.6% |
| 2013 | 15.9% | +38.9% |
| 2016 | 24.9% | +57.3% |
| 2018 | 17.9% | -28.1% |
| 2021 | 15.3% | -14.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.9% | 19.2% | 30.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 17.5% | 11.4% | 24.9% | 4 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 15.3% | 15.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More education data for Nigeria
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 912,245 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.24 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.20 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 33.42 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2021)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1466 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria?
- Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Nigeria was 15.3% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 30.3% in 2003.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4% in 2011.
- How does Nigeria rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age?
- Nigeria ranks 13th out of 37 countries with data for 2021.
- Is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, middle quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release