Prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa
Western Africa: Prevalence of undernourishment was 16.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa stood at 16.5%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 39.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa peaked at 16.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.4%, in 2009.
That places Western Africa 6th out of 27 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.5% | — |
| 2001 | 14.2% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 13.3% | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 12.3% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 11.6% | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 11.4% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 11.8% | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 12.2% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 12.3% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 11.8% | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 11.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 11.4% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 12.1% | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 11.9% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 14.1% | +18.5% |
| 2021 | 14.1% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 16.3% | +7.9% |
| 2024 | 16.5% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.9% | 11.4% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 11.4% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.2% | 14.1% | 16.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Western Africa
- 3 Madagascar 39.5% compare
- 4 Zambia 37.2% compare
- 5 Kenya 36.8% compare
- 6 Liberia 35.5% compare
- 7 Chad 32.0% compare
- 8 Central African Republic 29.8% compare
- 9 Papua New Guinea 28.7% compare
More development goals data for Western Africa
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 264.83 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 200.3 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 131 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 127 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 99 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 171 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 208 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 216 (2025)
- Alcohol consumption per capita (aged 15 years and older) within a 2.14 (2024)
- Children moderately or severely stunted 19,877 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Western Africa was 16.5% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4% in 2009.
- How does Western Africa rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Western Africa ranks 6th out of 27 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Prevalence of undernourishment (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).