Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes was 30.95 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
30.95 million
Change on year
up 2.6%
Rank
46th
of 204 groups
All-time high
30.95 million
in 2024
All-time low
16.45 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa stood at 30.95 million. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 30.95 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.45 million, in 1985.
That places UNICEF: West and Central Africa 46th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 16.45 million | — |
| 1986 | 16.84 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 17.09 million | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 17.47 million | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 17.77 million | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 18.09 million | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 18.42 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 18.78 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 19.14 million | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 19.42 million | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 20.38 million | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 20.65 million | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 20.86 million | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 20.86 million | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 21.34 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 24.41 million | +14.4% |
| 2001 | 24.51 million | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 24.99 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 25.59 million | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 25.53 million | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 26.23 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 26.72 million | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 28.28 million | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 28.92 million | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 29.65 million | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 30.07 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 27.89 million | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 28.06 million | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 27.87 million | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 27.79 million | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 27.76 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 28.18 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 28.09 million | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 26.89 million | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 27.83 million | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 28.49 million | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 28.99 million | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 29.55 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 30.17 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 30.95 million | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.12 million | 16.45 million | 17.77 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 19.79 million | 18.09 million | 21.34 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.48 million | 24.41 million | 29.65 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.04 million | 26.89 million | 30.07 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.63 million | 28.49 million | 30.95 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
- 43 Palestine, State of 6,437 compare
- 44 Saudi Arabia 5,670 compare
- 45 Türkiye 5,220 compare
- 46 United Arab Emirates 5,083 compare
- 47 Uruguay 4,409 compare
- 48 Kuwait 3,257 compare
- 49 Oman 2,185 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 youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 30.95 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.95 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.45 million in 1985.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 46th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. 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 Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release