Countries in Africa Ranked by School enrolment (primary) (2024)
School enrolment (primary): each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Sierra Leone ranks #1 with 162.1% gross. Rwanda is second with 149.6% gross, 8.4% behind. The top five are Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Malawi, Madagascar and Namibia. The median across all 47 is 100.4% gross; Somalia, Fed. Rep. is last at 20.9% gross. Sierra Leone's figure has risen 156% since 2000 (63.3% gross to 162.1% gross in 2024).
- #1
- Sierra Leone · 162.1% gross
- Median
- 100.4% gross
- Coverage
- 47 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | School enrolment (primary) (% gross) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Leone | 162.1 | 2024 |
| 2 | Rwanda | 149.6 | 2024 |
| 3 | Malawi | 139 | 2024 |
| 4 | Madagascar | 132.7 | 2024 |
| 5 | Namibia | 120.7 | 2024 |
| 6 | Mozambique | 119.2 | 2022 |
| 7 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 117.6 | 2023 |
| 8 | Morocco | 116.6 | 2024 |
| 9 | Eswatini | 116.5 | 2023 |
| 10 | Zambia | 115.6 | 2024 |
| 11 | Cameroon | 114.4 | 2024 |
| 12 | Togo | 114.3 | 2024 |
| 13 | Botswana | 109.3 | 2022 |
| 14 | Benin | 108 | 2022 |
| 15 | Mauritius | 107.4 | 2024 |
| 16 | Algeria | 105.5 | 2025 |
| 17 | Mauritania | 105.4 | 2024 |
| 18 | Tunisia | 104.4 | 2023 |
| 19 | Cabo Verde | 103 | 2022 |
| 20 | South Africa | 101.8 | 2023 |
| 21 | Ghana | 101 | 2024 |
| 22 | Burundi | 100.6 | 2025 |
| 23 | Guinea | 100.5 | 2020 |
| 24 | Gambia, The | 100.4 | 2025 |
| 25 | Gabon | 100.2 | 2019 |
| 26 | South Sudan | 98.4 | 2024 |
| 27 | Kenya | 98.2 | 2023 |
| 28 | Comoros | 97 | 2024 |
| 29 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 96.7 | 2024 |
| 30 | Seychelles | 93.4 | 2024 |
| 31 | Côte d'Ivoire | 93.3 | 2024 |
| 32 | Zimbabwe | 93.1 | 2024 |
| 33 | Tanzania | 92.7 | 2024 |
| 34 | Eritrea | 89.7 | 2022 |
| 35 | Nigeria | 89.6 | 2023 |
| 36 | Chad | 88.5 | 2024 |
| 37 | Congo, Rep. | 87.9 | 2023 |
| 38 | Angola | 86.7 | 2023 |
| 39 | Senegal | 85.3 | 2024 |
| 40 | Ethiopia | 84.4 | 2024 |
| 41 | Lesotho | 80.2 | 2024 |
| 42 | Burkina Faso | 77.2 | 2024 |
| 43 | Mali | 72.8 | 2023 |
| 44 | Sudan | 72.4 | 2019 |
| 45 | Liberia | 66.6 | 2022 |
| 46 | Niger | 64.7 | 2024 |
| 47 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 20.9 | 2023 |
About the top 10
#1 Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone ranks #1 on this list with 162.1% gross.
- Capital
- Freetown
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 8.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$7.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$846.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in school enrolment (primary) · #7 in under-5 mortality rate · #8 in forest rents share of gdp.
#2 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #2 on this list with 149.6% gross.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#3 Malawi
Malawi ranks #3 on this list with 139% gross.
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 22.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$14.92 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$671.5 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (primary) · #3 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary) · #3 in poverty headcount ratio.
#4 Madagascar
Madagascar ranks #4 on this list with 132.7% gross.
- Capital
- Antananarivo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 32.74 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.62 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$599.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 32.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Antananarivo.
Also ranks #1 in female labour force participation · #1 in lending interest rate · #2 in labour force participation rate.
#5 Namibia
Namibia ranks #5 on this list with 120.7% gross.
- 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.
#6 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #6 on this list with 119.2% gross (2022).
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#7 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #7 on this list with 117.6% gross (2023).
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#8 Morocco
Morocco ranks #8 on this list with 116.6% gross.
- 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.
#9 Eswatini
Eswatini ranks #9 on this list with 116.5% gross (2023).
- 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.
#10 Zambia
Zambia ranks #10 on this list with 115.6% gross.
- Capital
- Lusaka
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 21.91 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$28.88 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,318 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lusaka.
Also ranks #2 in mineral rents share of gdp · #3 in gini index · #4 in prevalence of undernourishment.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
School enrolment (primary): each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.PRM.ENRR. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: School enrollment, primary (% gross): 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.