Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 53.71 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
53.71 million
Change on year
up 1.7%
Rank
23rd
of 204 groups
All-time high
53.71 million
in 2024
All-time low
31.35 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) stood at 53.71 million. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 53.71 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 31.35 million, in 1985.
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 23rd of 204 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 31.35 million | — |
| 1986 | 32.02 million | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 32.41 million | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 33.09 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 33.54 million | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 34.01 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 34.73 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 35.71 million | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 36.36 million | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 36.96 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 38.26 million | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 38.94 million | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 39.35 million | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 40.39 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 40.68 million | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 44.16 million | +8.5% |
| 2001 | 44.66 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 44.16 million | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 45.11 million | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 45.50 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 47.39 million | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 50.03 million | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 51.13 million | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 51.99 million | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 52.72 million | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 52.45 million | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 50.21 million | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 48.98 million | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 48.50 million | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 48.89 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 48.97 million | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 49.19 million | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 49.38 million | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 47.93 million | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 48.85 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 49.99 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 50.97 million | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 51.88 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 52.83 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 53.71 million | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 32.48 million | 31.35 million | 33.54 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 37.54 million | 34.01 million | 40.68 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.69 million | 44.16 million | 52.72 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.34 million | 47.93 million | 52.45 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.87 million | 49.99 million | 53.71 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.89 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 38.99 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.59 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 53.71 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The highest recorded value was 53.71 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.35 million in 1985.
- How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 23rd out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. 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 Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release