Nigeria Moves Up to 6th Place in Global Terrorism Index as Insecurity Worsens, Burkina Faso’s Terrorist Attacks Drop by 57%

Nigeria has reached sixth place in the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, scoring 7.658. The country previously ranked eighth in both 2023 and 2024.

According to the report released on March 5, Burkina Faso remains the most terrorism-affected nation, with a score of 8.581. It is followed by Pakistan (8.374), Syria (8.006), Mali (7.907), and Niger (7.776). Nigeria now ranks ahead of Somalia (7.614), Israel (7.463), Afghanistan (7.262), and Cameroon (6.944), which round out the top ten.

Terrorism-related deaths in Nigeria increased for the second year in a row. The country recorded 565 deaths in 2024, up from 533 in 2023. This marks a 34 per cent increase since 2022, when fatalities were at 392, the lowest since 2011. Despite this rise, Nigeria and Iraq have seen the most significant overall decline in terrorism deaths since 2015.

The terrorist group IS-Sahel has expanded its operations in Nigeria, Niger, and Benin. In 2024, it reportedly carried out 16 attacks in Nigeria. The group also launched 12 attacks in Niger, six in Mali, and one in Burkina Faso. The Sahel region remains the deadliest terrorism hotspot, accounting for 51 per cent of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024. This is a tenfold increase since 2019.

While Burkina Faso remained the most terrorism-affected country, it saw a 21 per cent drop in deaths and a 57 per cent decrease in attacks in 2024. However, Niger recorded the sharpest rise in terrorism-related deaths. Fatalities surged by 94 per cent to 930, reversing earlier counterterrorism gains.

Nigeria’s insecurity extends beyond terrorism. In December 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that Nigerians paid ₦2.23 trillion in ransom to kidnappers between May 2023 and April 2024. Nigeria’s insecurity rate spike comes despite the government allocating ₦3.85 trillion to security and defence in 2024. The budget covered military operations, police reforms, and intelligence efforts. Yet, ransom payments suggest criminal groups remain strong.

The report also shows that terrorism is spreading worldwide. The number of countries affected by attacks rose from 58 to 66, the highest since 2018. More nations saw a worsening security situation, marking the first time in seven years that terrorism expanded in more places than it declined.

Despite increased spending in Nigeria, however, security challenges remain unresolved. Both terrorism and organised crime have continued to grow in recent times.

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