Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa
UNICEF: West and Central Africa: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 12.47 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
12.47 million
Change on year
up 2.6%
Rank
48th
of 204 groups
All-time high
12.47 million
in 2024
All-time low
6.15 million
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
UNICEF: West and Central Africa recorded 12.47 million for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa peaked at 12.47 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.15 million, in 1985.
UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 48th 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, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 6.15 million | — |
| 1986 | 6.30 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 6.40 million | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 6.58 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 6.71 million | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 6.87 million | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 7.04 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 7.21 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 7.39 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 7.53 million | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 8.01 million | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 8.17 million | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 8.31 million | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 8.28 million | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 8.54 million | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 9.37 million | +9.7% |
| 2001 | 9.46 million | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 9.77 million | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 10.18 million | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 10.09 million | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 10.42 million | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 10.32 million | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 10.85 million | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 11.22 million | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 11.41 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 11.71 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 10.96 million | -6.4% |
| 2012 | 10.99 million | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 10.84 million | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 10.91 million | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 10.91 million | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 11.25 million | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 11.19 million | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 10.71 million | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 11.18 million | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 11.47 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 11.69 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 11.92 million | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 12.16 million | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 12.47 million | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.43 million | 6.15 million | 6.71 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 7.74 million | 6.87 million | 8.54 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.31 million | 9.37 million | 11.41 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.06 million | 10.71 million | 11.71 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.94 million | 11.47 million | 12.47 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: West and Central Africa
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, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in UNICEF: West and Central Africa was 12.47 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.47 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.15 million in 1985.
- How does UNICEF: West and Central Africa rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- UNICEF: West and Central Africa ranks 48th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in UNICEF: West and Central Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. 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, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release