Adjusted savings: education expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Adjusted savings: education expenditure was 3.4% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Adjusted savings: education expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2021
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 3.4% for adjusted savings: education expenditure in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.8% on the previous year and down 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adjusted savings: education expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 6.0% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2008.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Adjusted savings: education expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.6% | — |
| 1971 | 3.7% | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 3.7% | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 3.8% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3.7% | -2.4% |
| 1978 | 3.8% | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 3.9% | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 4.0% | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 4.1% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 4.0% | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 4.0% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 3.7% | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 4.1% | +10.3% |
| 1987 | 4.1% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 4.1% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 4.4% | +8.4% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | +19.9% |
| 1993 | 5.1% | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 5.2% | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 5.8% | +11.8% |
| 1996 | 5.4% | -7.8% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +11.0% |
| 1998 | 4.5% | -24.5% |
| 1999 | 4.4% | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 4.0% | -9.2% |
| 2001 | 4.0% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 4.0% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 4.1% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | -22.0% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +8.6% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 3.6% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.0% | 3.7% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.0% | 4.1% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.9% | 3.1% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More economy & growth data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2311 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 8.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 407.9 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2438 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 246.12 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 386.71 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 398.55 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.8256 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2382 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adjusted savings: education expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Adjusted savings: education expenditure in Sub-Saharan Africa was 3.4% in 2021, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest adjusted savings: education expenditure recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 6.0% in 1997.
- What is the lowest adjusted savings: education expenditure recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2008.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for adjusted savings: education expenditure?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 26th out of 47 groups with data for 2021.
- Is adjusted savings: education expenditure rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Adjusted savings: education expenditure (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Education expenditure refers to the current operating expenditures in education, including wages and salaries and excluding capital investments in buildings and equipment. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) which is the total income earned by all residents within an economic territory during an accounting period. It is equal to gross domestic product plus earned income receivable from abroad minus earned income payable abroad.