Population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Population of compulsory school age, male was 121.46 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
121.46 million
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
53rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
121.46 million
in 2024
All-time low
42.48 million
in 1997
Years of data
28
1997–2024

Population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1997–2024

40.0M60.0M80.0M100.0M120.0M1997201020241997: 42.5M1998: 42.5M1999: 43.5M2000: 44.6M2001: 46.0M2002: 47.0M2003: 48.4M2004: 67.0M2005: 68.6M2006: 70.8M2007: 73.8M2008: 78.9M2009: 80.9M2010: 83.6M2011: 85.8M2012: 88.2M2013: 92.8M2014: 95.3M2015: 98.0M2016: 102.2M2017: 104.9M2018: 107.6M2019: 110.1M2020: 112.5M2021: 116.7M2022: 118.9M2023: 121.0M2024: 121.5M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 121.46 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 121.46 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 42.48 million, in 1997.

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 53rd of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population of compulsory school age, male (number) in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1997 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1997 42.48 million
1998 42.48 million +0.0%
1999 43.53 million +2.5%
2000 44.63 million +2.5%
2001 46.00 million +3.1%
2002 47.04 million +2.3%
2003 48.38 million +2.8%
2004 67.04 million +38.6%
2005 68.61 million +2.4%
2006 70.80 million +3.2%
2007 73.82 million +4.3%
2008 78.94 million +6.9%
2009 80.94 million +2.5%
2010 83.62 million +3.3%
2011 85.84 million +2.7%
2012 88.16 million +2.7%
2013 92.78 million +5.2%
2014 95.29 million +2.7%
2015 98.00 million +2.8%
2016 102.19 million +4.3%
2017 104.92 million +2.7%
2018 107.59 million +2.5%
2019 110.12 million +2.4%
2020 112.51 million +2.2%
2021 116.71 million +3.7%
2022 118.90 million +1.9%
2023 120.97 million +1.7%
2024 121.46 million +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 42.83 million 42.48 million 43.53 million 3
2000s 62.62 million 44.63 million 80.94 million 10
2010s 96.85 million 83.62 million 110.12 million 10
2020s 118.11 million 112.51 million 121.46 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 50 Ecuador 2.37 million compare
  2. 51 Ukraine 2.36 million compare
  3. 52 Myanmar 2.30 million compare
  4. 53 Canada 2.28 million compare
  5. 54 Malawi 2.28 million compare
  6. 55 Somalia 2.22 million
  7. 56 Syrian Arab Republic 2.18 million compare

See the full ranking of 418 places →

More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 121.46 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest population of compulsory school age, male recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 121.46 million in 2024.
What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, male recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 42.48 million in 1997.
How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for population of compulsory school age, male?
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 53rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is population of compulsory school age, male rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population of compulsory school age, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/population-of-compulsory-school-age-male-number-2/sdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Population of compulsory school age, male (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
418 places, 11,049 data points, 1974–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release