While global terrorism-related deaths decreased by 28% in 2025, they surged by 46% in Nigeria

  • Global terrorism deaths declined significantly by about 27.6%, from 7,714 in 2024 to 5,582 in 2025.
  • Nigeria recorded a sharp 46.2% increase in terrorism-related deaths, rising from 513 to 750.
  • Burkina Faso saw a major decline of 44.8%, dropping from 1,532 to 846 deaths.
  • Niger also improved, with deaths falling by 25.5% to 703.
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded an increase of 27.9%, showing mixed trends within Africa.
  • Pakistan saw a slight increase of 5.7%, indicating relatively stable but still elevated risk.

While total deaths from terrorism fell by about 27.6% globally in 2025, the number of deaths in Nigeria surged by 46.2%. This shows that even as the world becomes relatively safer from terrorism, Nigeria is experiencing a worsening crisis, diverging sharply from the global pattern.

Across other major hotspots, the story is largely one of decline. Burkina Faso saw a steep drop of nearly 45%, and Niger also recorded a significant reduction. Even within the Sahel, Africa’s most volatile belt, there are signs of easing pressures. This makes Nigeria’s increase not just notable, but concerning, as it suggests internal dynamics driving insecurity beyond broader regional trends.

Source:

Institute for Economics & Peace

Period:

2024-2025
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