Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 51.18 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
51.18 million
Change on year
up 1.8%
Rank
25th
of 204 groups
All-time high
51.18 million
in 2024
All-time low
29.95 million
in 1984
Years of data
41
1984–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1984–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 51.18 million. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 51.18 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 29.95 million, in 1984.
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 25th of 204 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 29.95 million | — |
| 1985 | 30.49 million | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 31.14 million | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 31.52 million | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 32.18 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 32.62 million | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 33.07 million | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 33.78 million | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 34.75 million | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 35.40 million | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 35.98 million | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 37.24 million | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 37.94 million | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 38.39 million | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 39.45 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 39.75 million | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 43.24 million | +8.8% |
| 2001 | 43.76 million | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 43.27 million | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 44.23 million | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 44.64 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 46.60 million | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 48.06 million | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 49.16 million | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 50.01 million | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 50.73 million | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 50.44 million | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 48.20 million | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 46.91 million | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 46.42 million | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 46.80 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 46.84 million | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.03 million | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 47.19 million | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 45.68 million | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 46.54 million | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 47.61 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 48.53 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 49.39 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 50.27 million | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 51.18 million | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 31.32 million | 29.95 million | 32.62 million | 6 |
| 1990s | 36.58 million | 33.07 million | 39.75 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.37 million | 43.24 million | 50.73 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.20 million | 45.68 million | 50.44 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.40 million | 47.61 million | 51.18 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 51.18 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 51.18 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.95 million in 1984.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 25th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. 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 Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release