Primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Primary completion rate, total was 68.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of relevant age group.
Analysis
In 2024, primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 68.9%.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 69.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 45.9%, in 1971.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of relevant age group | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 45.9% | — |
| 1972 | 46.2% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 46.6% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 47.0% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 48.0% | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 48.7% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 49.8% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 51.1% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 52.5% | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 52.9% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 54.0% | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 54.7% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 55.2% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 57.1% | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 54.8% | -3.9% |
| 1986 | 54.8% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 54.3% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 53.5% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 52.5% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 53.1% | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 53.4% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 52.7% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 52.7% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 52.8% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 53.2% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 53.0% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 52.3% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 52.8% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 54.4% | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 55.5% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 56.4% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 57.4% | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 62.2% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 61.9% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 62.5% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 65.7% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 65.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 65.7% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 65.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 65.6% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 66.0% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 66.3% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 66.7% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 67.1% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 67.9% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 69.1% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 69.9% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 69.0% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 68.9% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 48.4% | 45.9% | 52.5% | 9 |
| 1980s | 54.4% | 52.5% | 57.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.9% | 52.3% | 53.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.8% | 52.8% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.5% | 65.6% | 68.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.1% | 68.8% | 69.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More aid effectiveness data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Austria 121.61 million current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Belgium 460.93 million current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Canada 1.49 billion current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, European Union institutions 5.04 billion current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Switzerland 658.66 million current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Germany 4.30 billion current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, France 2.95 billion current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, United Kingdom 1.40 billion current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Italy 303.91 million current US$ (2023)
- Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Japan 1.70 billion current US$ (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Primary completion rate, total in Sub-Saharan Africa was 68.9% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary completion rate, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 69.9% in 2021.
- What is the lowest primary completion rate, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.9% in 1971.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for primary completion rate, total?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 37th out of 43 groups with data for 2024.
- Is primary completion rate, total rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary completion rate, total (% of relevant age group). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Primary completion rate, or gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, is the number of new entrants (enrollments minus repeaters) in the last grade of primary education, regardless of age, divided by the population at the entrance age for the last grade of primary education. Data limitations preclude adjusting for students who drop out during the final year of primary education.