General Michael Langley, the Commander of the United States Africa Command, has expressed concern about the increasing attempts of terrorists and extremist organisations in the Sahel to reach the coast of West Africa.
Describing recent attacks in Nigeria, the wider Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling, Langley warned that terrorist access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms trafficking.
The Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger is widely regarded as the epicentre of terrorist activity, with insurgent networks linked to ISIS and Al-Qaeda particularly entrenched in Burkina Faso.
According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the Sahel accounted for 19 per cent of all terrorist attacks worldwide and 51 per cent of global terrorism-related deaths in 2024, up from 48 per cent in 2023.
Five of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism are in the Sahel.
Langley, who spoke during a press conference at the weekend, said the US was increasingly concerned that a coastal incursion would not only endanger African nations but also raise the threat level to American interests.
“Attacks are resurging in the Lake Chad region as well, and extremist groups are growing more aggressive. The recent attacks in Nigeria and across the Sahel are deeply concerning.
“The scale and brutality of some of these incidents are troubling. So we’re monitoring this closely.
“One of the terrorists’ new objectives is gaining access to West African coasts. If they secure access to the coastline, they can finance their operations through smuggling, human trafficking, and arms trading.
“This puts not just African nations at risk, but also increases the chance of threats reaching the US shores,” Langley stated.
He stated this while addressing journalists at the African Chiefs of Defence Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 28 to 29, 2025.
The event brought together senior military leaders from 37 African nations alongside US defence officials.
Langley urged frontline coastal states such as Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin to hold firm along their northern borders to prevent terrorist infiltration.
He noted that the US stood in support of its coastal partners, saying, “That’s why our coastal partners – Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin – are fighting fiercely along their northern borders to prevent terrorist expansion, and US AFRICOM is standing with them.”
