Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria
Nigeria: Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural was 21.0% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
21.0%
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
20th
of 37 countries
All-time high
38.9%
in 2003
All-time low
13.5%
in 2007
Years of data
8
2003–2021
Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria, 2003–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria is 21.0%, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and up 34.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria peaked at 38.9% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 2007.
Nigeria ranks 20th of 37 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 38.9% | — |
| 2007 | 13.5% | -65.4% |
| 2008 | 22.5% | +67.1% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | -30.5% |
| 2013 | 25.6% | +64.0% |
| 2016 | 20.4% | -20.5% |
| 2018 | 22.0% | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 21.0% | -4.5% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 21.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 35.1%, 60% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 21.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.5%, 44% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.0% | 13.5% | 38.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 20.9% | 15.6% | 25.6% | 4 |
| 2020s | 21.0% | 21.0% | 21.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
- 17 El Salvador 27.7% compare
- 18 Malawi 27.7% compare
- 19 Colombia 21.8% compare
- 21 Sierra Leone 18.8% compare
- 22 Ghana 17.9% compare
- 23 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 17.5% compare
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 youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria?
- Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural in Nigeria was 21.0% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 38.9% in 2003.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 2007.
- How does Nigeria rank for out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural?
- Nigeria ranks 20th out of 37 countries with data for 2021.
- Is out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, rural rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.2%. 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 youth of upper secondary school age, rural, fourth quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release