Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 24.11 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
24.11 million
Change on year
up 1.9%
Rank
18th
of 204 groups
All-time high
24.11 million
in 2024
All-time low
12.13 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 24.11 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 24.11 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.13 million, in 1985.
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 18th of 204 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 12.13 million | — |
| 1986 | 12.45 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 12.65 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 13.00 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 13.23 million | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 13.51 million | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 13.90 million | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 14.40 million | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 14.78 million | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 15.16 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 15.83 million | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 16.29 million | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 16.61 million | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 17.06 million | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 17.14 million | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 18.26 million | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 18.64 million | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 17.65 million | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 18.27 million | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 18.45 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 19.39 million | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 20.40 million | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 20.91 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 21.33 million | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 21.60 million | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 21.65 million | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 21.02 million | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 20.39 million | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 20.21 million | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 20.60 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 20.82 million | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 21.20 million | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 21.50 million | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 20.96 million | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 21.50 million | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 22.07 million | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 22.63 million | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 23.15 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 23.66 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 24.11 million | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.69 million | 12.13 million | 13.23 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 15.47 million | 13.51 million | 17.14 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.49 million | 17.65 million | 21.60 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.99 million | 20.21 million | 21.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.12 million | 22.07 million | 24.11 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 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 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 24.11 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 24.11 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.13 million in 1985.
- How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 18th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release