Number of undernourished people (millions) in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Number of undernourished people (millions) was 282.3 num m in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num m.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa is 282.3 num m, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 54.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 282.3 num m in 2025 and was at its lowest, 155.4 num m, in 2009.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 4th out of 28 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Number of undernourished people (millions) in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | num m | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 170.6 num m | — |
| 2001 | 170 num m | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 171.1 num m | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 172.7 num m | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 171.8 num m | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 164.7 num m | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 161.3 num m | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 159.9 num m | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 158.1 num m | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 155.4 num m | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 159 num m | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 162.1 num m | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 166.3 num m | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 170.4 num m | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 172 num m | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 182.3 num m | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 200.1 num m | +9.8% |
| 2017 | 199.2 num m | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 208.5 num m | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 221.1 num m | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 235.9 num m | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 246.3 num m | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 255.5 num m | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 269.4 num m | +5.4% |
| 2024 | 280.6 num m | +4.2% |
| 2025 | 282.3 num m | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 165.56 num m | 155.4 num m | 172.7 num m | 10 |
| 2010s | 184.1 num m | 159 num m | 221.1 num m | 10 |
| 2020s | 261.67 num m | 235.9 num m | 282.3 num m | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More development goals data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Red List Index 0.8101 index (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 616 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 165.83 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 366 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 355 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 232 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 658 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 794 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 817 (2025)
- Infant deaths 1.89 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Number of undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa was 282.3 num m in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of undernourished people recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 282.3 num m in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of undernourished people recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 155.4 num m in 2009.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for number of undernourished people?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 28 groups with data for 2025.
- Is number of undernourished people rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Number of undernourished people (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).