Nigeria has moved up to fourth place in the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) after experiencing a sharp rise in attacks, according to a report released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), a Sydney-based non-profit think tank.
The report shows that terrorist incidents in Nigeria increased by 43 percent in 2025, with 171 attacks recorded compared to 120 in 2024. This rise pushed Nigeria up from sixth place in 2024 to fourth in the latest ranking.
“In 2025, Nigeria rose two places in the index, reflecting the significant increase of terrorist activity in the country,” the report stated.
Deaths from terrorism also rose, climbing 46 percent to 750 in 2025, marking the highest toll since 2020. Most fatalities were linked to internal instability and the ongoing conflict between Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram. Together, these groups accounted for 80 percent of all terrorism-related deaths in the country.
The northeastern state of Borno bore the brunt of the violence, experiencing 67 percent of attacks and 72 percent of deaths. Civilians remained the primary targets, representing 67 percent of casualties, while military personnel accounted for 19 percent. The report noted that this pattern has been steadily rising over the last five years, indicating a shift in terrorist targeting strategies.
Since 2007, Nigeria has recorded a total of 12,581 terrorism-related deaths. In 2025 alone, 243 people were injured in 171 attacks.
The GTI 2025 places Pakistan at the top, followed by Burkina Faso in second and Niger Republic in third place, highlighting global trends in the impact of terrorism.
