Primary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Primary education, pupils was 196.80 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
196.80 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
Rank
10th
of 45 groups
All-time high
196.80 million
in 2024
All-time low
27.82 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Primary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) recorded 196.80 million for primary education, pupils in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 196.80 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 27.82 million, in 1970.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 10th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 27.82 million | — |
| 1971 | 27.85 million | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 29.26 million | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 30.70 million | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 32.78 million | +6.8% |
| 1975 | 34.46 million | +5.1% |
| 1976 | 36.09 million | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 38.97 million | +8.0% |
| 1978 | 42.31 million | +8.6% |
| 1979 | 46.34 million | +9.5% |
| 1980 | 49.66 million | +7.1% |
| 1981 | 52.76 million | +6.3% |
| 1982 | 55.73 million | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 57.25 million | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 58.23 million | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 58.14 million | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 57.81 million | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 58.55 million | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 59.47 million | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 61.75 million | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 62.73 million | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 65.28 million | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 66.84 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 70.02 million | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 71.90 million | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 74.36 million | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 74.14 million | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.71 million | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 83.27 million | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 85.79 million | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 90.49 million | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 94.87 million | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 99.81 million | +5.2% |
| 2003 | 105.47 million | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 110.71 million | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 116.50 million | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 121.79 million | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 127.20 million | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 132.37 million | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 136.45 million | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 139.94 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 145.75 million | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 150.96 million | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 155.60 million | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 159.13 million | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 160.97 million | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 165.83 million | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 171.26 million | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 176.92 million | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 182.67 million | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 187.97 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 190.05 million | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 191.16 million | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 194.90 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 196.80 million | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 34.66 million | 27.82 million | 46.34 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.93 million | 49.66 million | 61.75 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 73.40 million | 62.73 million | 85.79 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 113.57 million | 90.49 million | 136.45 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 160.90 million | 139.94 million | 182.67 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 192.18 million | 187.97 million | 196.80 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- 7 Democratic Republic of Congo 21.15 million compare
- 8 Bangladesh 16.69 million compare
- 9 Ethiopia 15.93 million compare
- 10 Egypt 15.40 million compare
- 11 Brazil 15.11 million compare
- 12 Mexico 13.19 million compare
- 13 Philippines 13.06 million compare
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.80 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.43 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9738 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Primary education, pupils in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 196.80 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 196.80 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.82 million in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for primary education, pupils?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 10th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.