School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)
ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105): School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 35.66 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
35.66 million
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
110th
of 221 groups
All-time high
35.66 million
in 2024
All-time low
9.96 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) is 35.66 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 32.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) peaked at 35.66 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.96 million, in 1970.
That places ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) 110th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.96 million | — |
| 1971 | 10.24 million | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 10.54 million | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 10.84 million | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 11.20 million | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 11.55 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 11.92 million | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 12.30 million | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 12.65 million | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 13.02 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 13.39 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 13.81 million | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 14.23 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 14.68 million | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 15.10 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 15.60 million | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 12.59 million | -19.3% |
| 1987 | 13.06 million | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 13.58 million | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 14.10 million | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 14.64 million | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 14.78 million | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 15.29 million | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 15.74 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 16.14 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 16.58 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 17.06 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 17.50 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 17.91 million | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 18.28 million | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 18.67 million | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 19.08 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 19.56 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 20.04 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 20.55 million | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 21.06 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 21.59 million | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 22.16 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 22.76 million | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 23.32 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 23.94 million | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 24.52 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 25.20 million | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 26.00 million | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 26.88 million | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 27.80 million | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 28.68 million | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 29.55 million | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 30.48 million | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 31.45 million | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 32.44 million | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 33.44 million | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 34.42 million | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 35.36 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 35.66 million | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.42 million | 9.96 million | 13.02 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.02 million | 12.59 million | 15.60 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.39 million | 14.64 million | 18.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.88 million | 18.67 million | 23.32 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.45 million | 23.94 million | 31.45 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.26 million | 32.44 million | 35.66 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)
More education data for ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.54 million (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.8591 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.48 % change on previous year (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 2.26 million (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 6.66 % change on previous year (2020)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 947,845 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 873,576 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.35 % change on previous year (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.80 million (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) was 35.66 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- The highest recorded value was 35.66 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.96 million in 1970.
- How does ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) ranks 110th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release