School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): School age population, tertiary education, both sexes was 121.13 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
121.13 million
Change on year
up 0.9%
Rank
54th
of 221 groups
All-time high
121.13 million
in 2024
All-time low
27.46 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) is 121.13 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 29.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 121.13 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 27.46 million, in 1970.
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 54th 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, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 27.46 million | — |
| 1971 | 27.97 million | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 28.51 million | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 29.19 million | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 29.96 million | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 30.81 million | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 31.62 million | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 32.49 million | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 33.35 million | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 34.34 million | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 35.33 million | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 36.38 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 37.52 million | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 38.71 million | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 39.73 million | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 40.90 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 42.27 million | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 43.51 million | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 44.82 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 46.28 million | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 47.73 million | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 49.13 million | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 50.54 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 51.96 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 53.23 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 55.33 million | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 56.92 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 58.38 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 60.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 62.10 million | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 64.00 million | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 65.90 million | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 67.86 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 69.83 million | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 71.90 million | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 74.01 million | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 76.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 78.09 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 80.16 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 82.24 million | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 84.33 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 86.46 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 88.65 million | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 91.11 million | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 93.36 million | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 95.82 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 98.42 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 100.91 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 103.80 million | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 106.76 million | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 109.88 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 113.25 million | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 116.70 million | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 120.05 million | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 121.13 million | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.57 million | 27.46 million | 34.34 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.55 million | 35.33 million | 46.28 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.54 million | 47.73 million | 62.10 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.01 million | 64.00 million | 82.24 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.96 million | 84.33 million | 106.76 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 116.20 million | 109.88 million | 121.13 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
- 51 Niger 2.53 million compare
- 52 Saudi Arabia 2.49 million compare
- 53 Republic of Korea 2.44 million compare
- 54 Mali 2.38 million compare
- 55 Malawi 2.35 million compare
- 56 Burkina Faso 2.32 million compare
- 57 Zambia 2.11 million compare
More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.35 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7473 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 38.99 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.62 million (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 121.13 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The highest recorded value was 121.13 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.46 million in 1970.
- How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
- ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 54th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release