The rising incidence of jihadi terrorist attacks within the West African sub-region has caused considerable concern to both leaders and the general citizenry within and outside the region. From the marauding band of Boko Haram insurgents in northern Nigeria to the more sophisticated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and its splinter variations across the Sahel, the progressive expansion and sophistication of these jihadist groups threaten the very foundations of democratic states.
These organizations have unleashed an unprecedented wave of terrorist activities in recent times, posing a serious threat to peace, progress, and development in West Africa, including Ghana. This article examines the jihadi terrorism threat landscape in West Africa, its effects, and the national, regional, and international responses to it. It concludes by highlighting the need to re-examine Ghana’s response strategies in light of the evolving nature, scope, and patterns of jihadi terrorism across the sub-region.
Overview of the Jihadi Terrorism Threat Landscape Terrorism has become a deadly phenomenon that is undermining and altering existing structures underpinning accepted global norms. Various forms of terrorism exist, with differing interests and objectives. Jihadi terrorism is one of the most dangerous forms, thriving on extreme interpretations of Islamic texts to unleash violence, largely in pursuit of political outcomes.
Denounced by mainstream Islamic adherents, these groups operate in the shadows, seeking to achieve their political goals through a distorted Islamic ideology. Although the Sahel remains the primary hotspot of their activities, it is increasingly evident that states along the West African coast are not immune to this scourge, as demonstrated by the first attack on the Ivorian seaside resort city of Grand Bassam in March 2016.
The 2025 West Africa Early Warning Outlook report by the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) showed a steady rise in terrorism-related and armed attacks in the region, increasing from 1,601 incidents in 2022 to 1,715 in 2023, and surging to 2,197 in 2024.
Except for Ghana, coastal states such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo have experienced a marked increase in attacks targeting civilians and security personnel in their northern regions. This trend is corroborated by the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), which highlights a growing escalation of terrorist activity across coastal West Africa, particularly in Benin and Togo.
In Togo alone, ten attacks were recorded in 2024, resulting in 52 deaths, representing a sharp increase in fatalities compared to 2023. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso, situated at the intersection of the Sahel and coastal West Africa, was identified by the GTI as the most affected country globally in terms of both attacks and fatalities.
Clearly, the jihadist threat poses a significant challenge that requires collective attention and concerted action, especially in West Africa. While activities of jihadi groups have existed in West Africa for a considerable time, the scope, scale, and potency of their attacks were previously limited.
However, most analysts attribute the upsurge and proliferation of these groups to the precipitous collapse of the Libyan state following the fall of its long-serving leader, Colonel Muammar al Gaddafi, in 2011. With easy access to arms smuggled from Libya, groups with longstanding grievances exploited the weak security architecture across much of West Africa to engage in violent attacks.
Additionally, many states in the region, such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have diverse social, political, religious, and economic demographics that provide opportunities for exploitation by jihadist groups. Widening economic inequality and widespread youth unemployment have further created fertile ground for recruitment and radicalization.
The inability of national and regional actors to conclusively resolve lingering political conflicts, coupled with the limited presence of state security in vast areas of many countries, has further enabled jihadist groups to gain footholds. JNIM, in particular, has exploited internal tensions and conflicts to launch attacks and advance its agenda.
The withdrawal of international counterterrorism and stabilization missions, including France’s Operation Barkhane, the Takuba Task Force, and the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), alongside the weakening or collapse of regional frameworks such as the G5 Sahel Joint Force and the Accra Initiative, has heightened concerns about the expansion of jihadist activities across the region.
Effects of Jihadi Terrorism in West Africa While terrorism results in the needless loss of invaluable human lives, it also adversely affects the economic, social, and political governance of states. Economic productivity in affected countries has declined as investors and economic operators lose confidence in the state’s ability to guarantee security. The targeting of Europeans and other Western nationals through kidnapping has severely affected the tourism industry, resulting in substantial revenue losses.
The 2024 Kearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index found that lack of security and rising geopolitical risks were significant factors driving investors toward more stable markets. This reflects the dire state of efforts to improve investment climates and attract foreign direct investment in the region. Another troubling consequence is the disproportionate reallocation of national budgets toward security expenditure at the expense of social intervention programmes. Many already challenged states devote substantial portions of their budgets to military procurement instead of critical social services.
The displacement of populations has led to growing numbers of internally displaced persons and refugees, destabilizing communities and placing additional burdens on governments. Cross-border trade is disrupted, agricultural production declines, and long-term socio-economic consequences multiply. National, Regional, and International Responses to Jihadi Terrorism In response to the threat of jihadist terrorism, various national, regional, and international initiatives have been implemented.
Vulnerable states have adopted counterterrorism strategies and deployed joint security forces to affected areas. Although Ghana has not experienced direct terrorist attacks, it adopted the National Framework for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism (NAFPCVET) in 2019.
The framework focuses on four pillars: prevent, pre-empt, protect, and respond. It emphasises inter agency cooperation, intelligence sharing through the National Counterterrorism Fusion Centre, community engagement, and addressing root causes such as youth vulnerability and conflict.
Ghana has also deployed Operation Conquered Fist to border areas to deter transnational crime and potential attacks. Regionally, mechanisms such as the G5 Sahel Joint Force, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), and the Accra Initiative were established to counter terrorism. The G5 Sahel Joint Force was created in 2017 by Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.
The Accra Initiative, launched the same year, initially included Ghana, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, later expanding to Mali and Niger, with Nigeria as an observer. The MNJTF, comprising Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, and Niger, was formed to combat Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin. At the international level, France’s Operation Barkhane, launched in 2014 and concluded in November 2022, played a central role in supporting national armed forces across the Sahel.
However, except for the MNJTF, most regional and international operations have ceased following military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2020 and 2023. This situation has been worsened by the withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States from ECOWAS, weakening regional coordination.
The alignment of these states with non-Western partners has further complicated international cooperation. Conclusion and Way Forward While recognizing efforts to confront jihadist terrorism, it is clear that military responses alone are insufficient, especially for Ghana.
A more holistic and long-term strategy is required, addressing economic inequality, unemployment, corruption, poor governance, and non-inclusive policymaking. The government should prioritise vocational skills training for youth, promote tolerance through political and religious leadership, and strengthen constitutional principles of inclusion.
Ghana’s tradition of religious coexistence, intercultural engagement by traditional leaders, inclusive political appointments, conflict resolution mechanisms, and open civic dialogue all serve as critical buffers against radicalization.
Efforts must also focus on resolving internal conflicts, enhancing national dialogue, strengthening media freedom, implementing targeted communication campaigns, developing de-radicalization programmes, and cutting off financial support to jihadist groups.
Indigenous civil society groups such as the Northern Development and Democratic Institute (NDDI), which has a wide network of coverage in Northern Ghana, can play useful roles in this regard. Such a campaign would also require the collaboration of religious and community leaders to succeed. Ultimately, transparent and equitable governance that guarantees freedoms and opportunities remains the most effective defence against extremism.
These measures, collectively implemented, would strengthen Ghana’s resilience and contribute to regional stability across West Africa.
By Ambassador Fawaz Aliu
