School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes was 8.82 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
8.82 years
Change on year
up 0.1%
Rank
183rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
8.82 years
in 2024
All-time low
3.71 years
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa is 8.82 years, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 8.82 years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.71 years, in 1970.
That places UNICEF: West and Central Africa 183rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.71 years | — |
| 1971 | 3.8 years | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 3.95 years | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 3.99 years | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 4.01 years | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 4.11 years | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 4.13 years | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 4.48 years | +8.4% |
| 1978 | 4.98 years | +11.1% |
| 1979 | 5.46 years | +9.8% |
| 1980 | 5.68 years | +4.1% |
| 1981 | 6 years | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 6.36 years | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 6.52 years | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 6.59 years | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 6.38 years | -3.1% |
| 1986 | 5.89 years | -7.8% |
| 1987 | 5.7 years | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 5.66 years | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 5.44 years | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 5.42 years | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 5.62 years | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 5.68 years | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 5.81 years | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 5.83 years | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 5.8 years | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 5.53 years | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 5.7 years | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 5.84 years | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 5.96 years | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 6.21 years | +4.1% |
| 2001 | 6.24 years | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 6.43 years | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 6.62 years | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 6.98 years | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 7.13 years | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 7.25 years | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 7.08 years | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 7.2 years | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 7.44 years | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 7.65 years | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 7.97 years | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 8.1 years | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 8.5 years | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 8.25 years | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 8.2 years | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 8.17 years | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 8.21 years | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 8.25 years | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 8.41 years | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 8.52 years | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 8.64 years | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 8.7 years | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 8.81 years | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 8.82 years | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.26 years | 3.71 years | 5.46 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.02 years | 5.44 years | 6.59 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.72 years | 5.42 years | 5.96 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.86 years | 6.21 years | 7.44 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.17 years | 7.65 years | 8.5 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.7 years | 8.52 years | 8.82 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 180 Madagascar 9.56 years compare
- 181 San Marino 9.5 years compare
- 182 Benin 9.47 years compare
- 183 El Salvador 9.34 years compare
- 184 Suriname 9.18 years compare
- 185 Guatemala 9.08 years compare
- 186 Guinea-Bissau 8.9 years 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 life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- School life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 8.82 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.82 years in 2024.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.71 years in 1970.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 183rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. 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 life expectancy, primary and secondary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release