Countries in Africa Ranked by Education expenditure share of GDP (2023)
Education expenditure share of GDP: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Namibia ranks #1 with 9.08% of GDP (2024). Algeria is second with 8.98% of GDP, 1.2% behind. The top five are Namibia, Algeria, Botswana, Mauritania and Tunisia. The median across all 47 is 3.75% of GDP; Somalia, Fed. Rep. is last at 0% of GDP. Namibia's figure has risen 32% since 1999 (7.13% of GDP to 9.39% of GDP in 2022).
- #1
- Namibia · 9.08% of GDP
- Median
- 3.75% of GDP
- Coverage
- 47 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Education expenditure share of GDP (% of GDP) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Namibia | 9.08 | 2024 |
| 2 | Algeria | 8.98 | 2024 |
| 3 | Botswana | 8.06 | 2020 |
| 4 | Mauritania | 7.61 | 2024 |
| 5 | Tunisia | 6.73 | 2023 |
| 6 | Lesotho | 6.62 | 2024 |
| 7 | Senegal | 6.16 | 2023 |
| 8 | Eswatini | 6.03 | 2024 |
| 9 | South Africa | 6.02 | 2024 |
| 10 | Morocco | 6.02 | 2023 |
| 11 | Mozambique | 5.98 | 2022 |
| 12 | Burkina Faso | 5.33 | 2023 |
| 13 | São Tomé and Principe | 5.03 | 2023 |
| 14 | Rwanda | 4.61 | 2024 |
| 15 | Burundi | 4.5 | 2025 |
| 16 | Seychelles | 4.45 | 2023 |
| 17 | Cabo Verde | 4.35 | 2023 |
| 18 | Mauritius | 4.25 | 2024 |
| 19 | Mali | 4.18 | 2023 |
| 20 | Togo | 4.14 | 2023 |
| 21 | Niger | 4.07 | 2023 |
| 22 | Zambia | 4.07 | 2023 |
| 23 | Kenya | 4.02 | 2024 |
| 24 | Djibouti | 3.75 | 2018 |
| 25 | Côte d'Ivoire | 3.61 | 2024 |
| 26 | Congo, Rep. | 3.34 | 2023 |
| 27 | Benin | 3.23 | 2023 |
| 28 | Chad | 3.2 | 2023 |
| 29 | Tanzania | 3.16 | 2024 |
| 30 | Madagascar | 3.05 | 2023 |
| 31 | Ghana | 2.91 | 2022 |
| 32 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 2.84 | 2022 |
| 33 | Cameroon | 2.84 | 2023 |
| 34 | Gambia, The | 2.81 | 2023 |
| 35 | Malawi | 2.75 | 2022 |
| 36 | Sierra Leone | 2.62 | 2023 |
| 37 | Uganda | 2.56 | 2022 |
| 38 | Angola | 2.51 | 2023 |
| 39 | Comoros | 2.34 | 2023 |
| 40 | Gabon | 2.32 | 2023 |
| 41 | Ethiopia | 2.3 | 2024 |
| 42 | Liberia | 2.27 | 2023 |
| 43 | Central African Republic | 1.83 | 2023 |
| 44 | Guinea | 1.72 | 2023 |
| 45 | Zimbabwe | 0.385 | 2023 |
| 46 | Nigeria | 0.319 | 2023 |
| 47 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0 | 2023 |
About the top 10
#1 Namibia
Namibia ranks #1 on this list with 9.08% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Windhoek
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 3.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$15.08 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,876 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 50.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in women in ministerial positions share · #2 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in education expenditure share of gdp.
#2 Algeria
Algeria ranks #2 on this list with 8.98% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Algiers
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 47.44 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$287.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,051 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 75.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Algiers.
Also ranks #1 in gross capital formation rate · #5 in education expenditure share of gdp · #10 in land area.
#3 Botswana
Botswana ranks #3 on this list with 8.06% of GDP (2020).
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.56 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in unemployment rate · #4 in hiv prevalence · #5 in youth unemployment rate.
#4 Mauritania
Mauritania ranks #4 on this list with 7.61% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,198 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Nouakchott.
Also ranks #2 in gross capital formation rate · #3 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #8 in gender parity index (school enrolment).
#5 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #5 on this list with 6.73% of GDP.
- Capital
- Tunis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.35 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,657 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in youth unemployment rate · #9 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #16 in unemployment rate.
#6 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #6 on this list with 6.62% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Maseru
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,089 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in tax revenue share of gdp · #1 in suicide mortality rate · #2 in agricultural land share.
#7 Senegal
Senegal ranks #7 on this list with 6.16% of GDP.
- Capital
- Dakar
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 18.93 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$37.01 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,955 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dakar.
Also ranks #1 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #3 in crop production index · #8 in debt service share of exports.
#8 Eswatini
Eswatini ranks #8 on this list with 6.03% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Mbabane, Lobamba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 1.26 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$5.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,108 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 26.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in unemployment rate · #1 in hiv prevalence · #3 in youth unemployment rate.
#9 South Africa
South Africa ranks #9 on this list with 6.02% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#10 Morocco
Morocco ranks #10 on this list with 6.02% of GDP.
- Capital
- Rabat
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 38.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$182.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,673 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Fez.
Also ranks #15 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #16 in school enrolment (primary) · #16 in remittances received.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Education expenditure share of GDP: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP): Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.