Nigeria has been ranked as the fourth most terrorism-affected country in the world, according to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026 report, which measures the impact of terrorism in 2025. This ranking places Nigeria behind Pakistan, which topped the index, followed by Burkina Faso in second place and the Niger Republic in third. The report, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), highlights Nigeria's significant increase in terrorist activity, moving up two places from its sixth position in 2024.

The GTI 2026 reveals a deeply troubling escalation of violence in Nigeria. Terror attacks surged by 43 percent, from 120 incidents in 2024 to 171 in 2025. This increase in incidents was accompanied by a 46 percent rise in terrorism-related deaths, totaling 750 fatalities in 2025, marking the highest death toll since 2020. Most concerningly, civilians accounted for 67 percent of those killed, indicating a clear shift in terrorist targeting patterns over the last five years, making ordinary Nigerians increasingly exposed.

Terrorist activity in 2025 was heavily concentrated in Borno State, which experienced 67 percent of all attacks and 72 percent of deaths. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram were identified as the primary perpetrators, collectively responsible for 80 to 82.8 percent of all terrorism-related deaths in the country. The report also notes the emergence of new groups like Lakurawa, suggesting an expansion rather than containment of the insecurity problem. Overall, ISWAP alone was responsible for over half of all attacks and deaths across the country.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) swiftly responded to the GTI report, with its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, asserting that Nigeria's ranking is unequivocal evidence of the Bola Tinubu-led government's failure to secure the nation. The party cited the rising attacks and civilian deaths as indicators of a breakdown in governance rather than mere security lapses. The ADC criticized the government's perceived absence and preoccupation with 'pageantry, paparazzi, and propaganda' while the country faces a severe crisis, contrasting it with a leadership that appears disengaged.

In response to the crisis, the ADC outlined a comprehensive three-part strategy they would implement if in power. First, they would focus on fixing coordination by establishing a legally mandated national intelligence coordination system, led by a Coordinator of National Intelligence, and a unified Joint Terrorism Task Force to eliminate missed warnings and delayed responses. Second, the party proposed decentralizing policing with federal, state, and community layers to bring security closer to the people, ensuring faster response and clearer accountability across all 774 local government areas. Third, the ADC emphasized a shift from reactive measures to preventive, intelligence-driven security operations, powered by data, early warning systems, and rapid response units in every state, aiming to stop attacks before they happen.

The GTI report corroborates the ADC's assessment by identifying weak governance, internal instability, and economic hardship as key drivers of terrorism in Nigeria. Nigeria has appeared on the index of countries affected by terrorism every year since 2011, underscoring the persistent nature of the challenge. The findings highlight the urgent need for coordinated leadership and addressing the root causes that fuel recruitment into extremist groups to restore safety and stability across the nation.