The Sahel region, the area north of the West African coastal states, is a hotspot of terrorism. According to the current Global Terrorism Index of the Institute for Economics and Peace, around half of all global terrorism-related deaths now occur in this region.

Two jihadist groups connected to Al-Qaeda are expanding across this dangerous area. Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) and factions under the umbrella of the so-called Islamic State (IS) are behind the wave of terror in the Sahel, especially in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

These groups are increasingly expanding their activities southwards and infiltrating countries such as Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. Attacks on military posts and civilians are a constant threat. In April 2025, JNIM fighters killed at least 54 soldiers in Benin along the shared border with Burkina Faso and Niger. A similar rise in terrorist attacks has also been observed in neighbouring Togo.
A central role is played by the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (WAP), a network of protected areas and parks spanning Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and bordering Togo, Ghana, and Nigeria. This area not only serves as a “safe buffer” for terrorists but also as a zone for smuggling and other illegal economic activities. Strategically important minerals and resources, such as timber, are found there and have become sources of financing for terrorism in this corridor.

In recent years, terrorists from the Sahel have advanced southwards into largely uncontrolled areas of West Africa. The northern inland regions of many coastal countries are sparsely populated and underdeveloped. Terrorist groups often exploit the frustration and sense of neglect felt by young people in these areas to recruit new members.
In the past, there was intensive cooperation on security issues between the coastal states and the inland states of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The latter three have successively fallen under the control of military governments since 2020, withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and founded their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES). After that, joint security cooperation collapsed and has now shrunk to a minimum. This makes it nearly impossible to contain the cross-border infiltration of terrorist groups.

For this reason, the individual coastal states have begun deploying more troops to patrol their fragile northern border regions. Bilateral security agreements, such as those between Benin and Nigeria, have also been concluded. However, all these measures fall far short of what is needed to tackle terrorism.

Alongside security measures, socio-economic initiatives are urgently required. Côte d’Ivoire has launched a series of projects aimed at combating poverty and youth unemployment while building trust between the military and communities — efforts that could serve as an example for neighbouring countries. Governments must show that they recognise and understand the economic and social problems of the population and demonstrate clearly that they act as trustworthy partners rather than as agents of harassment.