Terrorism and rising criminal violence in Africa

Across Africa, 2026 continues to be defined by an increasingly complex and interwoven security crisis where terrorism, organized crime, and criminal-state collusion fuel escalating violence and instability. New developments have further exposed the continent’s multifaceted challenges—ranging from entrenched jihadist insurgencies and expanding illicit natural-resource economies to alarming human rights abuses and governance failures. Emerging hotspots such as Sudan’s overlooked mass atrocities underscore a widening crisis of civilian harm and impunity, reinforcing the urgency of integrated, multi-dimensional responses.

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Pan-African Security Landscape: Deepening Convergence of Terrorism, Organized Crime, and Corruption

The convergence of terrorism and organized crime across Africa has intensified in 2026, with criminal networks increasingly embedded within state institutions, exploiting governance gaps and weak judicial systems. This nexus exacerbates insecurity by enabling:

• Sophisticated illicit financial flows, including a sharp rise in cryptocurrency-enabled money laundering as documented by Chainalysis and other financial intelligence bodies.
• Resource criminality expanding beyond traditional minerals to include illegal logging and timber trafficking, especially in West and Central Africa, which provide fresh revenue streams for armed groups and terrorist networks.
• Environmental degradation and climate stress continue to fuel grievances and push vulnerable populations into militant recruitment.

This evolving security ecosystem complicates counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts, demanding tailored, sector-specific interventions coupled with comprehensive governance reforms.

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Country Snapshots: Key Recent Developments

Burkina Faso: Adaptive Jihadist Insurgency Amid Fragile Military Gains

Despite tactical successes against Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) early in 2026, Burkina Faso’s security gains remain tenuous as jihadists adapt and deepen their control in the volatile tri-border area with Mali and Niger. A recent Human Rights Watch report highlights a surge in attacks on civilians and security forces, reflecting more sophisticated insurgent tactics and deeper local entrenchment.

Key challenges include:

• Porous borders facilitating militant movement
• Exploitation of local grievances linked to marginalization, youth unemployment, and resource competition
• Increasing use of intercommunal conflicts as insurgent leverage

Sustained counterterrorism success depends on enhanced regional cooperation through frameworks like the G5 Sahel, alongside governance reforms and socio-economic development to undercut militant recruitment.

Nigeria: Escalating Violence from Insurgency–Crime Nexus and Environmental Pressure

Nigeria’s northwest and central regions face a deteriorating security situation where ideological insurgents such as Boko Haram and ISWAP blur lines with criminal banditry. This alliance enhances the operational reach and financing of criminal networks.

Driving factors include:

• Insurgent financing and operational support to criminal actors
• Corruption and fragmentation within the security sector
• Environmental degradation exacerbating ethnic and religious tensions

Experts call for holistic interventions integrating security measures with governance reform, poverty alleviation, and sustainable resource management to stem the violence.

South Africa: Madlanga Commission Reveals “State Capture 2.0” Amid Rising Urban Gang Violence

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has unveiled a deeply entrenched criminal-state nexus involving the 28s prison gang’s manipulation of infrastructure contracts through corrupt business entities. Testimonies from figures such as former PRASA official Suliman Carrim expose systematic breakdowns in oversight, enabling organized crime to siphon public funds and undermine governance.

Key findings and consequences:

• Organized crime controls major contracting pipelines, facilitated by political patronage
• The National Prosecuting Authority is handling 292 ongoing cases related to organized crime and money laundering
• A surge in urban gang violence, particularly in Johannesburg, led to military deployments in April 2026, signifying the limits of conventional policing
• Over 1,600 criminal non-citizens evade deportation due to legal loopholes, complicating security efforts

This situation highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms targeting corruption, judicial effectiveness, and border security.

Zimbabwe: Mass Prisoner Release Exposes Justice System Weaknesses and Public Safety Fears

In early 2026, Zimbabwe released approximately 4,000 inmates to ease overcrowded prisons. Although the move was lauded by human rights groups, it coincided with a spike in violent crimes, including armed robberies, sparking public alarm.

Challenges underscored include:

• Insufficient post-release rehabilitation and reintegration programs, raising recidivism risks
• Overstretched law enforcement struggling to respond to increased crime
• Growing public distrust in government capacity to maintain security

The episode reveals critical justice sector deficiencies and the need for holistic reforms linking human rights, rehabilitation, and community safety.

Liberia: Rising Attacks on Transitional Justice Actors Threaten Rule of Law

Liberia faces a troubling increase in attacks, intimidation, and harassment against war crimes investigators, judicial personnel, and witnesses engaged in transitional justice processes. These actions undermine accountability mechanisms and risk perpetuating impunity for past atrocities.

This trend demands urgent measures to:

• Strengthen protection and institutional support for justice actors
• Reinforce the rule of law amidst fragile governance environments
• Sustain national and international engagement to uphold transitional justice

Eastern DRC: Deadly Rubaya Mine Landslide Reveals Armed-Group Mining Risks

A landslide at the M23-controlled Rubaya mining site in eastern DRC claimed around 20 lives, shining a harsh light on hazardous mining conditions in conflict zones. The Rubaya mine is a critical revenue source for M23 rebel activities.

Key points:

• Illegal mining and smuggling persist despite government and international efforts
• The disaster underscores the urgent need for conflict-sensitive resource governance, improved mine safety, and regulatory enforcement
• Highlights the entwined nature of natural resource exploitation, armed conflict, and criminal economies in Central Africa

Libya: Migrant Torture Networks Exposed Amid Persistent Instability

The investigative report “Deserts of Silence” uncovered the brutal reality of Bangladeshi women trapped in Libya’s torture markets, revealing how migrant smuggling networks exploit governance voids to perpetrate severe human rights abuses.

Notable aspects:

• Migrants face torture, forced labor, and exploitation with tacit complicity from local authorities
• These trafficking networks are linked to broader transnational criminal activities including arms and drug trafficking
• The crisis highlights the intersection of migration, organized crime, and human rights violations, demanding urgent multi-sectoral and international responses

Central Africa: Cameroon–CAR Joint Operation Targets Illicit Gold Networks

The Central Africa Observatory on Organised Crime and Violence (ISS Africa) is leading a joint crackdown by Cameroon and the Central African Republic on illicit gold mining and smuggling that finances armed groups.

Strategic priorities:

• Strengthening border controls and multilateral cooperation to dismantle smuggling routes
• Enhancing financial oversight aligned with anti-corruption initiatives
• Recognizing extractive-sector criminality as a key conflict driver

This operation complements broader regional efforts to stabilize security and governance.

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New Dimension: Sudan’s Mass Atrocities Draws Widening International Spotlight

A previously underreported but increasingly visible crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where large-scale mass atrocities, severe civilian harm, and massive displacement are occurring amid ongoing conflict. Despite limited global media coverage, analyses and local reports characterize the situation as one of the worst genocides in recent history.

Implications include:

• Reinforcement of continental patterns of large-scale violence, displacement, and impunity
• An urgent need to integrate Sudan’s humanitarian and security crises into broader regional and international strategies
• Calls for enhanced protection of civilians, accountability for perpetrators, and robust diplomatic engagement

Sudan’s crisis underscores the interconnected nature of Africa’s security challenges and the necessity of inclusive, continent-wide responses.

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Cross-Cutting Drivers: Corruption, Illicit Finance, Environmental Stress, and Overburdened Security Forces

Persistent systemic issues continue to exacerbate Africa’s security landscape:

• The $30 million bribery settlement involving Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler in the DRC exemplifies how corruption linked to resource extraction finances armed groups and undermines governance.
• Financial intelligence reports reveal a surge in cryptocurrency use by organized crime and sanctioned actors, facilitating sophisticated money laundering schemes that evade traditional AML controls.
• Environmental degradation—particularly land and water scarcity—exacerbates social grievances and militant recruitment.
• Security forces are stretched thin, simultaneously combating insurgencies, urban gangs, and corruption, leading to reduced morale and operational effectiveness.
• The resulting insecurity drives mass displacement, deepens humanitarian crises, and disrupts food security and livelihoods.

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Regional Diplomacy: The France–Africa Reset in Nairobi as a Strategic Opportunity

The France–Africa reset summit, held May 11–12, 2026, in Nairobi and co-hosted by Kenya and Uganda, presents a pivotal platform to recalibrate France’s engagement with Africa. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need for:

• Strengthened cooperation on security, anti-corruption, and anti-money laundering efforts
• Enhanced regional and international coordination to combat terrorism, organized crime, and illicit financial flows
• Rebalancing economic and political ties to promote sustainable development and governance reform

The success of this reset depends on concrete commitments and inclusive engagement from African states, civil society, and regional bodies to translate diplomatic intent into tangible progress.

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Imperative for Integrated, Holistic Responses

The evolving security threats across Africa demand multi-dimensional strategies that go beyond traditional military or policing methods:

• Intelligence-driven, technology-enabled operations targeting terrorist and criminal networks, combined with robust AML frameworks addressing cryptocurrency laundering
• Deep governance reforms to dismantle corruption, enhance institutional oversight, and rebuild public trust
• Targeted socio-economic programs addressing poverty, youth unemployment, conflict-sensitive resource management, and resilience building
• Strengthened regional and international cooperation for intelligence sharing, coordinated counterterrorism and anti-crime efforts, and illicit asset recovery
• Sector-specific interventions, such as Cameroon-CAR gold network crackdowns and protections for transitional justice actors in Liberia, integrated into broader security and governance frameworks
• Addressing humanitarian dimensions, including migrant protection in Libya and post-release rehabilitation in Zimbabwe, to reduce vulnerabilities exploited by criminal actors

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Conclusion

While localized tactical successes provide some grounds for cautious optimism, Africa’s security environment in 2026 remains volatile and intricately complex. From Burkina Faso’s fragile counterinsurgency advances and Nigeria’s insurgency-crime nexus to South Africa’s revelations of “State Capture 2.0” and Zimbabwe’s justice sector strains, the continent faces a multifaceted mosaic of threats. New crises—such as the deadly mining disaster in eastern DRC, Libya’s migrant torture networks, and Sudan’s mass atrocities—add layers of human suffering and criminal complexity.

The France–Africa reset in Nairobi offers a crucial diplomatic window to strengthen coordinated security, anti-corruption, and governance initiatives. Yet durable peace and stability hinge on urgent, integrated policies that blend intelligence-led security operations with governance reform, socio-economic development, and robust regional cooperation—breaking the persistent cycles of violence, corruption, and instability that continue to thwart Africa’s progress.