The Sahel region of Africa was the global epicentre of terrorism for the third consecutive year in 2025, accounting for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths worldwide, according to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026 report. The report, compiled by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), was released on March 19, 2026.
The index shows that terrorism deaths in the Sahel increased by 18% in 2025, with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger being the most affected countries. The region's instability is primarily driven by the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda affiliated groups, with conflict between pastoralists and farmers also contributing significantly to the violence.
Nigeria ranked as the fourth most impacted country by terrorism globally in 2025, a slight improvement from its third-place position the previous year. Deaths from terrorism in Nigeria fell by 9% to 1,103, though the country still faces severe threats from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The global impact of terrorism decreased for the second year in a row, with total deaths falling by 22% to 6,473. However, the IEP warns that the concentration of violence in the Sahel, which now accounts for 48% of global terrorism deaths, represents a severe and worsening regional crisis with broader humanitarian consequences.
