School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, tertiary education, female was 57.88 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 57.88 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 57.88 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.62 million, in 1970.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 55th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12.62 million | — |
| 1971 | 12.88 million | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 13.17 million | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 13.52 million | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 13.92 million | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 14.35 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 14.77 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 15.22 million | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 15.68 million | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 16.22 million | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 16.74 million | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 17.24 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 17.79 million | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 18.39 million | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 18.92 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 19.50 million | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 20.14 million | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 20.73 million | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 21.36 million | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 22.07 million | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 22.76 million | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 23.45 million | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 24.16 million | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 24.93 million | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 25.47 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 26.63 million | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 27.45 million | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 28.26 million | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 29.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 30.02 million | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 30.89 million | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 31.76 million | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 32.67 million | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 33.57 million | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 34.55 million | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 35.56 million | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 36.57 million | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 37.51 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 38.48 million | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 39.46 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 40.45 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 41.46 million | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 42.49 million | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 43.66 million | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 44.72 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 45.84 million | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 47.03 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 48.21 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 49.53 million | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 51.00 million | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 52.48 million | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 54.09 million | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 55.73 million | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 57.34 million | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 57.88 million | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.23 million | 12.62 million | 16.22 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.29 million | 16.74 million | 22.07 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.22 million | 22.76 million | 30.02 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.10 million | 30.89 million | 39.46 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.44 million | 40.45 million | 51.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.50 million | 52.48 million | 57.88 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- 52 Malawi 1.18 million compare
- 53 Mali 1.17 million compare
- 54 South Korea 1.17 million compare
- 55 Burkina Faso 1.15 million compare
- 56 Saudi Arabia 1.15 million compare
- 57 Zambia 1.06 million compare
- 58 Ukraine 972,410 compare
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 78.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.77 million (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.10 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 57.88 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 57.88 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.62 million in 1970.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, tertiary education, female?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 55th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school age population, tertiary education, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.4%. 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, tertiary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release