Tertiary education enrollment — all countries

Tertiary education enrollment — Sub-Saharan Africa

Tertiary education enrollment in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2021 — 9.3%. Since 1970, the indicator has risen by 7.9 pp.

2021 9.3% +0.1 pp vs 2020
World rank
Period maximum 9.3%2021
Period minimum 1.4%1971

Trend over time

1970–2021 · % (gross ratio)

Tertiary education enrollment — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–202102.557.51019701976198219881994200020062012201820211970: 1.4%1971: 1.4%1972: 1.5%1973: 1.5%1974: 1.5%1975: 1.6%1976: 1.6%1977: 1.7%1978: 1.8%1979: 2%1980: 2.1%1981: 2.2%1982: 2.4%1983: 2.4%1984: 2.5%1985: 2.6%1986: 2.7%1987: 2.7%1988: 2.9%1989: 3%1990: 3.1%1991: 3.2%1992: 3.3%1993: 3.5%1994: 3.6%1995: 3.7%1996: 3.8%1997: 3.9%1998: 4%1999: 4%2000: 4.4%2001: 4.7%2002: 5.1%2003: 5.5%2004: 5.7%2005: 6.1%2006: 6.2%2007: 6.4%2008: 6.7%2009: 7.1%2010: 7.6%2011: 7.9%2012: 8.2%2013: 8.6%2014: 8.7%2015: 8.8%2016: 8.8%2017: 9%2018: 9.1%2019: 9.1%2020: 9.2%2021: 9.3%
Change over the period: +7.9 pp Annual average: 0.15 pp

Comparison, 2021

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 9.3%
World 41.1%
Tertiary education enrollment — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2021 9.3 +0.1 pp
2020 9.2 +0.1 pp
2019 9.1 +0 pp
2018 9.1 +0.1 pp
2017 9 +0.1 pp
2016 8.8 +0 pp
2015 8.8 +0.1 pp
2014 8.7 +0.2 pp
2013 8.6 +0.3 pp
2012 8.2 +0.3 pp
2011 7.9 +0.3 pp
2010 7.6 +0.4 pp
2009 7.1 +0.4 pp
2008 6.7 +0.3 pp
2007 6.4 +0.2 pp
2006 6.2 +0.2 pp
2005 6.1 +0.3 pp
2004 5.7 +0.3 pp
2003 5.5 +0.4 pp
2002 5.1 +0.3 pp
2001 4.7 +0.4 pp
2000 4.4 +0.4 pp
1999 4 +0 pp
1998 4 +0.1 pp
1997 3.9 +0.1 pp
1996 3.8 +0.1 pp
1995 3.7 +0.1 pp
1994 3.6 +0.2 pp
1993 3.5 +0.2 pp
1992 3.3 +0.1 pp
1991 3.2 +0.1 pp
1990 3.1 +0.1 pp
1989 3 +0.1 pp
1988 2.9 +0.1 pp
1987 2.7 +0 pp
1986 2.7 +0.1 pp
1985 2.6 +0.1 pp
1984 2.5 +0 pp
1983 2.4 +0.1 pp
1982 2.4 +0.2 pp
1981 2.2 +0.1 pp
1980 2.1 +0.1 pp
1979 2 +0.1 pp
1978 1.8 +0.1 pp
1977 1.7 +0.1 pp
1976 1.6 +0.1 pp
1975 1.6 +0.1 pp
1974 1.5 +0.1 pp
1973 1.5 −0 pp
1972 1.5 +0.1 pp
1971 1.4 −0 pp
1970 1.4

About the indicator

The gross tertiary enrollment ratio — the number of students at universities and colleges (ISCED 5–8) as a percentage of the population in the five-year age interval that follows the end of school. It can exceed 100% because of older students and students from abroad, so in countries that act as magnets for international students the indicator is overstated.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), license CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.