The United Nations has raised fresh concerns over the evolving tactics of terrorist groups operating in northern Nigeria, West Africa and the Sahel, warning that they are increasingly relying on drones, encrypted communication technologies and cryptocurrencies to strengthen their operations.
The warning was delivered by Leonardo Simão, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel and head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), during a briefing to the UN Security Council.
Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report covering the period from November 29, 2025, to June 30, 2026, Simão said armed groups across the region have become more sophisticated and difficult to combat.
According to him, terrorists are deploying drones, advanced communication systems and digital currencies while coordinating attacks across national borders.
He said the activities of these groups are increasingly linked to transnational organised crime, with the aim of expanding their territorial and economic influence while weakening public confidence in government institutions.
“The situation is particularly serious in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria,” Simão told the council, adding that the growing alliance between terrorist networks and organised criminal groups continues to undermine social cohesion across the region.
He noted that Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso remain among the countries hardest hit by terrorist attacks, kidnappings and civilian casualties.
The humanitarian impact has also worsened, with about 6.8 million people displaced across the region and an additional 1.28 million living as refugees or asylum seekers.
Simão said women, children and young people continue to suffer the most, as insecurity and funding shortages have restricted access to humanitarian assistance.
Despite the security challenges, he highlighted ongoing regional cooperation, including the reopening of the Kamba border crossing between Nigeria and Niger and progress made by the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission in implementing the International Court of Justice ruling on the two countries’ land and maritime boundary.
Describing these developments as positive steps, Simão stressed that military action alone would not defeat terrorism.
He urged governments to tackle the underlying causes of violent extremism by addressing poverty, unemployment and vulnerability.
“Fighting poverty and vulnerability must remain a shared objective in the broader fight against terrorism,” he said, noting that regional actors are working together to find lasting solutions.
He also disclosed that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has renewed efforts to operationalise its standby force but continues to face financial constraints.
