School age population, primary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)
ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105): School age population, primary education, both sexes was 71.76 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
71.76 million
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
96th
of 221 groups
All-time high
71.76 million
in 2024
All-time low
16.32 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, primary 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, primary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) is 71.76 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) peaked at 71.76 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.32 million, in 1970.
That places ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) 96th 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, primary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 16.32 million | — |
| 1971 | 16.81 million | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 17.32 million | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 17.84 million | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 18.36 million | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 18.90 million | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 19.46 million | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 20.04 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 20.66 million | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 21.33 million | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 22.05 million | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 22.84 million | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 23.65 million | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 24.54 million | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 25.39 million | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 26.36 million | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 27.29 million | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 28.20 million | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 29.09 million | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 29.98 million | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 30.86 million | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 31.59 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 32.34 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 33.10 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 33.81 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 34.54 million | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 35.30 million | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 35.97 million | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 36.85 million | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 37.74 million | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 38.66 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 39.65 million | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 40.70 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 41.75 million | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 42.88 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 44.05 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 45.33 million | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 46.74 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 48.23 million | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 49.67 million | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 51.25 million | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 52.80 million | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 54.37 million | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 55.94 million | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 57.56 million | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 59.32 million | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 61.06 million | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 62.83 million | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 64.54 million | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 66.12 million | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 67.62 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 69.07 million | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 70.35 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 71.41 million | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 71.76 million | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.70 million | 16.32 million | 21.33 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.94 million | 22.05 million | 29.98 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.21 million | 30.86 million | 37.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.77 million | 38.66 million | 49.67 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.58 million | 51.25 million | 66.12 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.04 million | 67.62 million | 71.76 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)
More education data for ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 96.4% (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 96.0% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 15.44 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 3.6% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 15.86 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 6.60 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 1.82 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male 32.92 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 15.03 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 14.51 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) was 71.76 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- The highest recorded value was 71.76 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.32 million in 1970.
- How does ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105) ranks 96th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: West Africa (unsdcode:98105)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.7%. 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, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release