Nigeria Ranks 4th in Global Terror Deaths as Sahel Becomes World’s Deadliest Region

Nigeria has been ranked the fourth most affected country by terrorism globally, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index released by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

The report shows that the Sahel region has emerged as the global epicentre of terrorism, accounting for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths worldwide for the third consecutive year.

According to the findings, the region recorded over 5,500 terrorism-related deaths in 2025. Although this represents a slight decline compared to previous years, the Sahel continues to bear the highest burden globally.

Nigeria’s Death Toll Rises Sharply
Nigeria recorded 750 terrorism-related deaths in 2025, marking a 46 per cent increase from the previous year.

The surge in fatalities has been linked to ongoing clashes between insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, alongside broader internal security challenges across the country.

The report also notes that the global centre of terrorism has gradually shifted from the Middle East and North Africa to the Sahel over the past decade, with terrorism-related deaths in the region increasing tenfold since 2007.

Globally, Pakistan overtook Burkina Faso as the most affected country in 2025, recording 1,139 deaths linked to terrorist incidents.

The surge in Pakistan was attributed to renewed militant activities following the return of the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Burkina Faso, previously the most impacted nation, recorded a 45 per cent decline in terrorism-related deaths, largely due to reduced civilian casualties. Analysts say insurgent groups are increasingly targeting military personnel instead.

Meanwhile, Niger ranked third globally with 703 deaths—more than half involving civilians—while Mali placed fifth with 341 fatalities, reflecting a drop from the previous year.

Rising Threat Across West Africa
The report also highlights the spread of extremist violence into coastal West African states, with Benin recording a rise in attacks and climbing significantly on the global index.

Security experts warn that persistent instability in the Sahel—driven by weak governance, porous borders, and cross-border insurgencies—continues to pose a major threat to both regional and global security.

The Global Terrorism Index ranks 163 countries annually based on key indicators, including the number of attacks, fatalities, injuries, and hostages linked to terrorist activities.

The latest findings reinforce growing concerns that without coordinated regional and international efforts, the Sahel’s security crisis could deepen further in the coming years