Nigeria has emerged as the country with the largest surge in terrorism-related fatalities worldwide, recording 237 more deaths in 2025 than in 2024. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2026, the West African nation has maintained a steady upward trajectory in terrorism-related deaths since 2022, marking a sharp contrast in global security dynamics. Several other nations across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Western regions also experienced notable spikes in terrorism fatalities between 2024 and 2025.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo saw the second-highest surge, recording 102 additional deaths.
In South America, Colombia led regional upticks with an increase of 88 fatalities, while Ecuador registered 10 additional deaths.
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West Africa’s security challenges expanded into Benin, which reported 68 more deaths in 2025. In South Asia, Pakistan recorded an increase of 61 terrorism-related fatalities over the same period.
Western and Asia-Pacific nations were not exempt from rising security concerns. The United States recorded an increase of 27 deaths, while Australia reported 15 additional fatalities.
Meanwhile, Southeast Asian nations saw modest increases, with Indonesia and Thailand registering 8 and 5 more deaths, respectively.
Together, the numbers underscore a persistent shift in conflict zones, with sub-Saharan African nations bearing the heaviest burden of rising annual casualties.
