Nigeria has ranked fourth globally in terrorism-related deaths, as the Sahel region continues to dominate as the world’s deadliest hotspot for extremist violence, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index.
The report, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, revealed that the Sahel accounted for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths for the third consecutive year in 2025, reinforcing its position as the “global epicentre of terrorism.”
The index, which assesses 163 countries based on the impact of terrorism—including attacks, fatalities, injuries, and hostage incidents—recorded over 7,500 deaths globally in 2024, with more than half occurring in the Sahel, a semi-arid region stretching across sub-Saharan Africa.
Although global deaths dropped to 5,582 in 2025, the Sahel still accounted for nearly half of the fatalities. The report noted that terrorism-related deaths in the region have increased tenfold since 2007, marking a significant shift from the Middle East and North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa.
Pakistan ranked as the most affected country in 2025, overtaking Burkina Faso, with over 1,100 deaths linked to a resurgence in militant activity following the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Burkina Faso recorded the sharpest decline in deaths, dropping by 45 percent to 846, largely due to reduced civilian casualties, while Niger rose to third place with over 700 deaths, many of them civilians.
Nigeria moved up to fourth on the index, recording 750 deaths in 2025—an increase of 46 percent from the previous year. The report attributed the rise to ongoing internal instability and persistent clashes involving Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram.
Mali ranked fifth, with a decline in fatalities compared to the previous year.
The report identified extremist groups such as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims and the Islamic State as the primary drivers of violence in the Sahel. It also warned of the growing spread of attacks into coastal West African countries, with Benin recording a notable rise in incidents.
Meanwhile, conflict monitoring group Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reported even higher figures for terrorism-related deaths in the region, underscoring the scale of the crisis.
