The United Nations has warned that terrorist groups operating in northern Nigeria and across West Africa and the Sahel are increasingly deploying drones, sophisticated communications technology, and cryptocurrencies to bolster their activities. The alert was delivered by Leonardo Simão, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General 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.
Groups coordinate across borders with advanced tech
Simão presented the Secretary-General's latest report on developments in West Africa and the Sahel, covering the period from November 29, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The briefing took place as the Security Council reviewed the political, security, and humanitarian situation in the region and followed its decision to extend UNOWAS's mandate until January 31, 2029. Addressing the Council, Simão said terrorist groups were becoming increasingly sophisticated and more difficult to contain.
"Armed groups are increasingly using drones, sophisticated communications and cryptocurrencies while coordinating operations across borders," he said. He noted that the activities of the groups have become closely linked with transnational organised crime and are aimed at consolidating territorial and economic control while undermining public confidence in state institutions.
Northern Nigeria and central Sahel hardest hit
"The problem is acute, especially in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria," Simão said. "Their actions intersect with transnational organised crime, and are aimed at consolidating territorial and economic control, erosion of public confidence in state authority, with serious damage to social cohesion." According to the UN official, Nigeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso continue to face terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and significant civilian casualties. He disclosed that approximately 6.8 million people have been displaced across the region, while a further 1.28 million people have become refugees or asylum seekers.
Simão said women, children, and young people continue to bear the greatest burden of the humanitarian crisis, noting that insecurity and funding shortages have severely restricted humanitarian access. Despite the deteriorating security situation, he highlighted ongoing regional cooperation, including the reopening of the Kamba border crossing between Nigeria and Niger.
Regional cooperation and boundary progress
He also pointed to progress by the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission in implementing the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on the land and maritime boundary between the two countries. "These are some examples of regional efforts towards dialogue," he said. Simão stressed that military operations alone would not be sufficient to defeat terrorism, urging governments to tackle the underlying socio-economic conditions that fuel violent extremism.
"Fighting poverty and vulnerability must therefore remain a common objective in the broader fight against terrorism. Regional actors are working hard to find solutions," he said. He also informed the Security Council that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has renewed efforts to operationalise its standby force but continues to face funding constraints.
