What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, female between Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa?

72.73 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa?

5 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2018.

Where does this data come from?

UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Nigeria vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female

Nigeria

17.67 million number

in 2018

Sub-Saharan Africa

90.40 million number

in 2019

Nigeria rank

3rd

Sub-Saharan Africa rank

12th

Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female over time

Nigeria
Sub-Saharan Africa

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 90.40 million number against 17.67 million number in Nigeria, a difference of 72.73 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 5.1 times Nigeria's.

Across all 5 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

Nigeria ranks 3rd and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th of 83 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Nigeria	Sub-Saharan Africa	Difference	Ahead
1990s	10.62 million number	55.67 million number	45.05 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s	13.16 million number	71.39 million number	58.22 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s	17.67 million number	88.59 million number	70.91 million number	Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher illiterate population, 25-64 years, female, Nigeria or Sub-Saharan Africa?: Sub-Saharan Africa, at 90.40 million number against 17.67 million number in Nigeria as of 2019.
What is the difference in illiterate population, 25-64 years, female between Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 72.73 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 5 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2018.
How do Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for illiterate population, 25-64 years, female?: Nigeria ranks 3rd and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 12th of 83 countries.
Where does this data come from?: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Nigeria vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-female-number/nigeria/sub-saharan-africa/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/illiterate-population-25-64-years-female-number/nigeria/sub-saharan-africa/">Nigeria vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Illiterate population, 25-64 years, female (number)
Unit: number
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 122 places, 2,240 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed: 21 August 2026

Total number of females from age 25 to age 64 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.