The Foundation for Peace Professionals has warned that more than 80 percent of global operations linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria are now concentrated in West Africa and the Sahel, describing the region as the new epicentre of global terrorism.
In a statement issued by Executive Director Abdulrazaq Hamzat, PeacePro said the finding is based on a comparative analysis of global incident data. The analysis drew from open source intelligence, regional security reports, and trend assessments of ISIS-linked activities across the Middle East, Central Africa, and the Sahel.
PeacePro explained that the 80 percent estimate came from tracking the frequency, scale, and attribution of attacks linked to ISIS and its affiliates in recent months. The methodology aggregated reported incidents, compared regional distributions, and evaluated operational intensity, including underreported cases.
The group noted a sharp decline in activity in traditional strongholds such as Iraq and Syria, alongside a sustained surge in attacks across West Africa, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin and the broader Sahel corridor.
According to Hamzat, ISIS-affiliated groups operating under regional franchises in West Africa now account for the majority of recorded attacks, fatalities, territorial incursions, and coordinated operations linked to the global network. He said the trend also explains the rapid rise of some Nigerian-based fighters within ISIS-linked command structures.
PeacePro said the scale, coordination, and persistence of attacks across Nigeria and neighbouring countries signal a dangerous expansion of extremist networks. It attributed this to adaptive strategies, local recruitment, and possible external support systems.
The organisation warned that the concentration of ISIS-linked operations in West Africa reflects a strategic shift in global terrorism dynamics and requires an urgent recalibration of international counter-terrorism priorities.
PeacePro called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to lead a coordinated global response. It urged Nigeria to rally international partners, strengthen intelligence sharing frameworks, and drive a unified offensive against ISIS-affiliated groups in the region.
The group said Nigeria, as a frontline state, is positioned to galvanize regional and global action through multilateral security cooperation, deployment of advanced counter-terrorism technologies, and disruption of transnational financing and logistical networks.
PeacePro warned that failure to act decisively could allow terrorist groups to entrench their presence, expand territorial control, and project instability beyond West Africa, with implications for global security.
It stressed that all counter-terrorism measures must remain intelligence-driven, evidence-based, and consistent with international law and human rights standards.
