Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central
WB: Africa Western and Central: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 11.53 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central, 1985–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: Africa Western and Central recorded 11.53 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 2.5% on the previous year and up 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central peaked at 11.53 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.72 million, in 1985.
WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 54th of 204 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 5.72 million | — |
| 1986 | 5.85 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 5.95 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 6.10 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 6.23 million | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 6.37 million | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 6.52 million | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 6.68 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 6.84 million | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 6.96 million | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 7.40 million | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 7.56 million | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 7.66 million | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 7.58 million | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 7.76 million | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 8.49 million | +9.5% |
| 2001 | 8.47 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 8.68 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 8.97 million | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 8.78 million | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 8.99 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 9.13 million | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 9.63 million | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 9.97 million | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 10.13 million | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 10.38 million | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 10.39 million | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10.37 million | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 10.22 million | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 10.27 million | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 10.29 million | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 10.54 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 10.45 million | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 9.94 million | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 10.38 million | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 10.64 million | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 10.84 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 11.04 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 11.24 million | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 11.53 million | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.97 million | 5.72 million | 6.23 million | 5 |
| 1990s | 7.13 million | 6.37 million | 7.76 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.12 million | 8.47 million | 10.13 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.32 million | 9.94 million | 10.54 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.06 million | 10.64 million | 11.53 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: Africa Western and Central
More education data for WB: Africa Western and Central
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.61 million (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.4 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.89 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.08 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7294 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.00 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 6.08 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 18.05 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in WB: Africa Western and Central was 11.53 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 11.53 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.72 million in 1985.
- How does WB: Africa Western and Central rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
- WB: Africa Western and Central ranks 54th out of 204 groups with data for 2024.
- Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in WB: Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: Africa Western and Central 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