Nigeria has climbed to sixth place in the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), marking a concerning escalation in the country’s security situation. With a score of 7.658, Nigeria moved up from its eighth-place ranking in 2023 and 2024, according to the latest report released on March 5, 2025. The index, which measures the impact of terrorism globally, highlights Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with terrorism-related violence, particularly in the face of expanding activities by extremist groups like IS-Sahel.

Global Terrorism Index Overview

The 2025 GTI report reveals that Burkina Faso remains the country most affected by terrorism, topping the index with a score of 8.581. It is followed by Pakistan (8.374), Syria (8.006), Mali (7.907), and Niger (7.776), which round out the top five. Nigeria’s sixth-place ranking underscores the persistent threat posed by terrorism within its borders, despite efforts to combat extremist groups.

Other countries in the top 16 include Somalia (7.614), Israel (7.463), Afghanistan (7.262), Cameroon (6.944), Myanmar (6.929), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (6.768), Iraq (6.582), India (6.410), Colombia (6.381), and Russia (6.267). The report also notes that terrorism remains a global threat, with 66 countries experiencing at least one terrorist attack in 2024—the highest number since 2018.

Nigeria’s Rising Terrorism Deaths

The report recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths in Nigeria in 2024, a significant increase from previous years. While Nigeria had seen a decline in terrorism fatalities since peaking at 2,101 deaths in 2014, the trend reversed in 2023, with fatalities rising by 34 percent to 533. This upward trajectory continued in 2024, with 565 deaths attributed to terrorism.

The increase in fatalities is linked to the growing influence of IS-Sahel, a regional affiliate of the Islamic State, which has expanded its operations beyond the Liptako-Gourma region—a tri-border area encompassing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—to countries like Algeria, Benin, and Nigeria. In 2024 alone, IS-Sahel carried out 16 attacks in Nigeria, 12 in Niger, six in Mali, and one in Burkina Faso.

The Sahel: Global Epicenter of Terrorism

The Sahel region has emerged as the global epicenter of terrorism, accounting for 51 percent of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024. This represents a nearly tenfold increase since 2019, with conflict-related deaths in the region surpassing 25,000 for the first time since the inception of the GTI. Of these, 3,885 deaths were directly attributed to terrorism.

Five of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are located in the Sahel, with Burkina Faso remaining the most affected. Despite a 21 percent decline in deaths and a 57 percent drop in attacks in 2024, Burkina Faso still accounted for one-fifth of all global terrorism-related fatalities. The report highlights the fragility of counterterrorism progress in the region, citing Niger as a case in point. Niger recorded a 94 percent surge in terrorism-related deaths in 2024, reversing the gains made in 2022.

Implications for Nigeria

Nigeria’s rise in the GTI rankings reflects the complex and evolving nature of its security challenges. While the country has made significant strides in combating Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the expansion of IS-Sahel’s activities poses a new threat. The group’s ability to carry out attacks in Nigeria underscores the need for a coordinated regional response to address the root causes of terrorism and prevent further spillover.

The Nigerian government has implemented various counterterrorism measures, including military operations, intelligence gathering, and community engagement programs. However, the persistence of terrorism-related violence highlights the limitations of these efforts and the need for a more comprehensive approach. Experts have called for increased investment in education, economic development, and social services to address the underlying drivers of extremism, such as poverty, unemployment, and marginalization.

Global Trends in Terrorism

The 2025 GTI report paints a mixed picture of global terrorism trends. While deaths from terrorism have declined by almost a third since the peak in 2015, the number of countries affected by terrorism has increased. In 2024, 45 countries reported a deterioration in security, compared to only 34 that saw improvements—the first time in seven years that more nations worsened than improved.

The report attributes this trend to the shifting patterns of terrorist activity, with groups like IS-Sahel and other regional affiliates exploiting local grievances and weak governance structures to expand their influence. It also highlights the growing use of technology by terrorist organizations, including social media for recruitment and propaganda, as well as drones and other advanced weaponry for attacks.

The Way Forward for Nigeria

Addressing Nigeria’s rising terrorism threat requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond military action. Key recommendations include:

1. Strengthening Regional Cooperation: Enhancing collaboration with neighboring countries and international partners to combat cross-border terrorism and disrupt the operations of groups like IS-Sahel.
2. Investing in Human Development: Tackling the root causes of extremism by addressing poverty, unemployment, and inequality through targeted social and economic programs.
3. Improving Governance and Security: Strengthening governance structures and security institutions to ensure effective response to emerging threats and build public trust.
4. Promoting Community Resilience: Empowering local communities to resist extremist ideologies through education, dialogue, and inclusive development initiatives.
5. Leveraging Technology: Utilizing technology for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and counterterrorism operations while addressing the misuse of digital platforms by terrorist groups.

Conclusion

Nigeria’s sixth-place ranking in the 2025 Global Terrorism Index is a stark reminder of the persistent and evolving threat posed by terrorism. While the country has made progress in reducing terrorism-related deaths in the past, the resurgence of violence in 2023 and 2024 underscores the need for sustained and comprehensive efforts to address the root causes of extremism. As the Sahel region continues to grapple with the devastating impact of terrorism, Nigeria’s experience serves as a cautionary tale and a call to action for the international community to prioritize peace, security, and development in the fight against global terrorism.