Abuja: Africa's Sahel region has emerged as a significant terrorism hot spot, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace. About 51% of global terror-related deaths have been recorded in the Sahel, where two al-Qaeda-linked groups, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) and the so-called Islamic State, are expanding their influence.
According to Deutsche Welle, these groups are increasingly spreading south, infiltrating countries such as Benin, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana. In Benin's northern border towns, attacks on military outposts and civilians pose a constant threat. In April 2025, JNIM militants killed at least 54 soldiers along the shared border with Burkina Faso and Niger. Togo has experienced a similar surge in terror attacks.
The coastal corridor of West Africa serves as a critical escape route for these terror groups from military offensives. It is also a vital trade artery and a gateway into the landlocked countries, crucial for European shipping lines. The W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex of protected lands and parks, spanning Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and bordering Togo, Ghana, and Nigeria, provides a "safe buffer" for terrorists and is a zone for smuggling and other illicit economic activities.
Experts like James Barnett, a research fellow at the Hudson Institute, note that groups like JNIM are entrenched in the forested areas along the Benin-Niger border, launching attacks from these regions. They exploit illicit economies and recruit in the region.
In recent years, Sahel-based terrorists have moved southwards into largely ungoverned spaces in West Africa. These areas harbor strategic minerals and materials, such as timber, which have become sources of terrorism financing. Oluwole Ojewale, a researcher at the Dakar-based Institute for Security Studies, highlights how the northern regions of many coastal countries are sparsely populated and underdeveloped, making them ripe for exploitation by terror groups.
The collapse of security cooperation between the Sahel and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), following the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has created a gap allowing violence to spill over to the coast. Ojewale notes that cross-border intelligence, particularly between the central Sahel states and the rest of West Africa, remains insufficient to curb the infiltration of terrorist groups.
Coastal countries have launched various initiatives to enhance security, including deploying forces to control their northern territories. Benin, for instance, has stationed 3,000 soldiers along its border with Burkina Faso and Chad. Bilateral security deals, such as the one between Benin and Nigeria, aim to strengthen border security.
Barnett emphasizes that overcoming mistrust and sharing intelligence between coastal and Sahel states is crucial to stemming the spillover of terrorism. Alongside security responses, incorporating socioeconomic initiatives is imperative. Cote d'Ivoire has rolled out social projects to alleviate poverty and youth unemployment while building trust between the military and communities.
Barnett highlights the importance of the state being more than just a policing force, suggesting that addressing socioeconomic concerns can foster a partnership with communities beyond security fronts, responding to their needs more holistically.