While the global landscape in 2025 showed a marked decrease in fatalities linked to terrorism, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have unfortunately emerged as significant exceptions. These two African nations have experienced a disturbing escalation in violence, primarily attributed to extremist ideologies and organised criminal factions. Recent data published by the Australian thinktank, the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), in their Global Terrorism Index, presents a sharply contrasting situation. This analysis highlights that these countries are currently confronting increasingly severe threats, which consequently challenge the overall progress achieved globally against terrorism.
Nigeria has demonstrably borne the most substantial burden of this localised intensification. The country registered a considerable 46% increase in deaths directly associated with terrorism. This alarming surge, which saw the number of fatalities rise from 513 in 2024 to 750 in 2025, has unfortunately elevated Nigeria to the fourth position among nations most severely affected by terrorism worldwide. This deterioration is not attributable to a single, isolated cause. Instead, it stems from a complex interplay of persistent factors. Long-standing insurgencies, perpetrated by groups like Boko Haram and its affiliates, continue to destabilise the region. This is further exacerbated by the destructive activities of predatory criminal elements, commonly referred to as "bandits," and the emergence of newer threats such as the Lakurawa group. The resulting violence has manifested in truly harrowing incidents, including a massacre in Kwara state that tragically claimed 162 lives in February 2025. Additionally, recent assaults on military installations in Borno state resulted in the deaths of at least 80 personnel, including several senior officers. The capital city of Maiduguri has also been targeted, with multiple suicide bombings occurring shortly before the report's release, leaving over 23 dead and more than 100 injured.
Similarly, the Democratic Republic of Congo is presently confronting an intensified security crisis. Terrorism-related deaths in the DRC escalated by nearly 28% during the same period, increasing from 365 to 467. The IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has been identified as the primary catalyst for this alarming surge. This development has propelled the DRC to its worst-ever ranking on the Global Terrorism Index, placing it eighth globally. The prevailing instability within these specific African regions starkly contrasts with the broader global trend. Worldwide, there was a commendable 28% reduction in terrorism-related deaths, bringing the total to 5,582. The number of global terrorist attacks also experienced a considerable decrease of nearly 22%.
Steve Killelea, the founder of the IEP, has expressed profound concern regarding these diverging trends. He has posited that a fracturing global order poses a significant risk to the substantial gains that have been meticulously made in combating terrorism over the past decade. This sentiment is further corroborated by the findings concerning Western nations. Despite the overall global decline, these countries experienced a dramatic 280% increase in deaths from terrorism, reaching 57 in 2025. The United States, in particular, recorded its highest number of fatalities from terrorist incidents since 2019, with 28 deaths. The report attributes this localised rise in the West to factors such as the radicalisation of young people and the prevalence of lone-wolf actors, which collectively present a new and challenging dimension to counter-terrorism efforts.