School age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, primary education, female was 96.56 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
96.56 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
33rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
96.56 million
in 2024
All-time low
23.09 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024

20.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M100.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 96.56 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 22.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 96.56 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 23.09 million, in 1970.

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 33rd of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.

School age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, primary education, female (number) in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 23.09 million
1971 23.80 million +3.1%
1972 24.52 million +3.0%
1973 25.20 million +2.8%
1974 25.96 million +3.0%
1975 26.63 million +2.6%
1976 27.44 million +3.0%
1977 28.17 million +2.7%
1978 28.99 million +2.9%
1979 29.90 million +3.2%
1980 30.79 million +3.0%
1981 31.65 million +2.8%
1982 32.61 million +3.0%
1983 33.59 million +3.0%
1984 34.60 million +3.0%
1985 35.70 million +3.2%
1986 36.83 million +3.1%
1987 38.16 million +3.6%
1988 39.33 million +3.1%
1989 40.48 million +2.9%
1990 41.65 million +2.9%
1991 42.80 million +2.8%
1992 43.93 million +2.7%
1993 45.29 million +3.1%
1994 46.45 million +2.6%
1995 47.75 million +2.8%
1996 48.95 million +2.5%
1997 50.35 million +2.9%
1998 51.75 million +2.8%
1999 52.97 million +2.4%
2000 54.22 million +2.4%
2001 55.52 million +2.4%
2002 56.89 million +2.5%
2003 58.37 million +2.6%
2004 59.87 million +2.6%
2005 61.38 million +2.5%
2006 62.97 million +2.6%
2007 65.20 million +3.5%
2008 66.95 million +2.7%
2009 68.72 million +2.6%
2010 70.58 million +2.7%
2011 72.50 million +2.7%
2012 74.48 million +2.7%
2013 76.74 million +3.0%
2014 78.78 million +2.7%
2015 81.03 million +2.8%
2016 83.29 million +2.8%
2017 85.52 million +2.7%
2018 87.65 million +2.5%
2019 89.63 million +2.3%
2020 91.48 million +2.1%
2021 93.23 million +1.9%
2022 94.87 million +1.8%
2023 95.93 million +1.1%
2024 96.56 million +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 26.37 million 23.09 million 29.90 million 10
1980s 35.37 million 30.79 million 40.48 million 10
1990s 47.19 million 41.65 million 52.97 million 10
2000s 61.01 million 54.22 million 68.72 million 10
2010s 80.02 million 70.58 million 89.63 million 10
2020s 94.41 million 91.48 million 96.56 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 30 Ghana 2.45 million compare
  2. 31 Cameroon 2.35 million compare
  3. 32 Niger 2.34 million compare
  4. 33 United Kingdom 2.33 million compare
  5. 34 Cote d'Ivoire 2.28 million compare
  6. 35 Myanmar 2.18 million compare
  7. 36 Thailand 2.16 million compare

See the full ranking of 443 places →

More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
School age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 96.56 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, primary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 96.56 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, primary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 23.09 million in 1970.
How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, primary education, female?
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 33rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, primary education, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.6%. 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 School age population, primary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, primary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-primary-education-female-number-2/sdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, primary education, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
443 places, 20,724 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release