School age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School age population, one year before the official primary entry was 17.98 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
17.98 million
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
77th
of 221 groups
All-time high
17.98 million
in 2024
All-time low
4.14 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 17.98 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 17.98 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.14 million, in 1970.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 77th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.14 million | — |
| 1971 | 4.26 million | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 4.39 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 4.52 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 4.67 million | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 4.82 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 4.96 million | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 5.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 5.29 million | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 5.48 million | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 5.68 million | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 5.88 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 6.07 million | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 6.29 million | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 6.49 million | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 6.70 million | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 6.86 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 7.05 million | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 7.26 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 7.49 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 7.66 million | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 7.83 million | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 8.02 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 8.22 million | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 8.43 million | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 8.66 million | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 8.88 million | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 9.10 million | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 9.36 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 9.62 million | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 9.87 million | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 10.23 million | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 10.48 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 10.72 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 11.01 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 11.41 million | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 11.84 million | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 12.21 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 12.56 million | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 12.91 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 13.28 million | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 13.70 million | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 14.14 million | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 14.53 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 14.98 million | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 15.40 million | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 15.83 million | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 16.25 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 16.59 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 16.91 million | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 17.29 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 17.55 million | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 17.74 million | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 17.94 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 17.98 million | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.77 million | 4.14 million | 5.48 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.58 million | 5.68 million | 7.49 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.58 million | 7.66 million | 9.62 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.32 million | 9.87 million | 12.91 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.16 million | 13.28 million | 16.91 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.70 million | 17.29 million | 17.98 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 74 South Sudan 286,762 compare
- 75 Ecuador 285,966 compare
- 76 Tajikistan 261,050 compare
- 77 Togo 260,101 compare
- 78 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 247,402 compare
- 79 Haiti 245,271 compare
- 80 Papua New Guinea 240,144 compare
More education data for UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 4.92 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 20.41 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9224 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 22.91 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.5411 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9535 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.20 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.73 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School age population, one year before the official primary entry in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 17.98 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.98 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.14 million in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school age population, one year before the official primary entry?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 77th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, one year before the official primary entry rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: West and Central Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, one year before the official primary entry age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release