One in every five people in Sudan was internally displaced in 2025

Key Takeaways

  • Sudan has the highest displacement burden in Africa, with 10.1 million IDPs and 20% of its population affected.
  • Somalia follows with 18.4% of its population displaced.
  • High-intensity displacement is concentrated in conflict-prone regions like the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.
  • Burkina Faso (8.8%) and the Central African Republic (8.4%) show how smaller countries can face severe proportional impact.
  • Nigeria’s 3.6 million IDPs are one of the largest in absolute terms, but at 1.5%, the relative impact is lower than many peers.

There’s a difference between the number of people displaced and the depth of displacement in a country. Across Africa, the scale is massive, but the intensity tells a sharper story. Sudan leads on both fronts: 10.1 million internally displaced persons and about 20% of its population affected.

What stands out next is how uneven the burden is. Countries like Somalia (18.4%) and Burkina Faso (8.8%) show high displacement rates relative to their populations, meaning the disruption is deeply felt across society. Meanwhile, Nigeria, despite having 3.6 million IDPs, records just 1.5% of its population displaced—large in absolute terms, but comparatively less intense.

Source:

United Nations High Comissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Period:

2025
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