Nigeria’s struggle with insecurity took a worrying turn in 2025, with fresh data showing a sharp rise in both attacks and deaths linked to terrorism.
According to the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, “in 2025, Nigeria rose two places to fourth position, reflecting the significant increase of terrorist activity in the country.”
“Terror attacks in Nigeria increased by 43 per cent this year, from 120 incidents in 2024 to 171 in 2025.”
“Deaths from terrorism have continued to rise, increasing by 46 per cent to 750 in 2025. This marks the highest death toll since 2020,” it read.
Much of the violence continues to be driven by familiar groups, such as Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, who account for 80 per cent of all terrorism deaths in the country.
Their influence remains deeply entrenched, particularly in the northeast.
The report also stated that Borno State, in particular, continues to carry the heaviest burden.
“Terrorist activity this year was heavily concentrated in the northeastern state of Borno, which experienced 67 per cent of attacks and 72 per cent of deaths in 2025,” it read.
When compared to its neighbours across sub-Saharan Africa, where “Five countries in the Sahel recorded falls in both the number of deaths and incidents from the previous year.”
Nigeria, however, saw no progress, ranking as “the only country in the region to experience an increase in both categories.”
This rise has not happened overnight. The report highlights that “Nigeria has experienced a steady rise in terrorism-related deaths since 2022, recording 237 more fatalities in 2025 than in 2024.”
Behind that trend is a mix of factors, including “a surge in both ideological and criminal violence in the country.”
“Nigeria saw a dramatic increase in IS activity, with IS attacks jumping from 20 in 2024 to 92 in 2025,” the report notes.
Globally, terrorism is still concentrated in a handful of countries. “Burkina Faso, Pakistan, Nigeria, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)… accounted for 70 per cent of global fatalities,” the report says.
Burkina Faso, for instance, recorded a significant turnaround, with “fatalities falling by 686, or 45 per cent.”
Niger also saw deaths drop sharply. In contrast, Nigeria “recorded the largest increase in deaths, which were 237 higher in 2025.”
Despite years of effort, Nigeria remains a constant presence on the list of the world’s most affected countries. Alongside Pakistan and Somalia, it “has consistently ranked among the ten most affected countries… highlighting the persistent challenges… in addressing terrorism.”
