Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 22.70 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
22.70 million
Change on year
up 2.1%
Rank
25th
of 204 groups
All-time high
22.70 million
in 2024
All-time low
11.56 million
in 1984
Years of data
41
1984–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1984–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 22.70 million. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 22.70 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.56 million, in 1984.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 25th out of 204 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 11.56 million | — |
| 1985 | 11.80 million | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 12.11 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 12.31 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 12.65 million | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 12.88 million | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 13.16 million | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 13.54 million | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 14.04 million | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 14.42 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 14.79 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 15.44 million | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 15.91 million | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 16.24 million | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 16.69 million | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 16.77 million | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 17.89 million | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 18.27 million | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 17.27 million | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 17.89 million | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 18.07 million | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 19.01 million | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 19.42 million | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 19.92 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 20.33 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 20.58 million | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 20.60 million | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 19.96 million | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 19.31 million | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 19.11 million | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 19.49 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 19.67 million | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 20.02 million | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 20.29 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 19.71 million | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 20.21 million | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 20.74 million | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 21.28 million | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 21.76 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 22.24 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 22.70 million | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.22 million | 11.56 million | 12.88 million | 6 |
| 1990s | 15.10 million | 13.16 million | 16.77 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.86 million | 17.27 million | 20.58 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.84 million | 19.11 million | 20.60 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.74 million | 20.74 million | 22.70 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, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 22.70 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.70 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.56 million in 1984.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 25th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release