Key facts
- The Nigeria Conflict is an insurgency / communal violence in West Africa, currently Active (High intensity).
- Nigeria faces a jihadist insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the northeast, alongside armed banditry in the northwest and farmer-herder violence in the middle belt.
- Key actors: Nigerian security forces, Boko Haram, ISWAP.
- What's at stake: Counter-insurgency, Civilian security, Food security.
Latest developments
The headlines below are pulled automatically from Google News (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and link to primary reporting. They are updated periodically; last refreshed 2026-06-21.
- URGENT: Boko Haram Planning Major Attacks in Northeastern Nigeria, Communities Warned to Brace for Violence2026-06-19 — Truth Nigeria
- 720 Boko Haram Members Walk Free in Nigeria as Their Victims Remain Homeless and Hungry2026-06-18 — Truth Nigeria
- ‘We were herded like animals’: Freed from Boko Haram captivity2026-06-14 — Al Jazeera
- Hundreds of captives freed from Boko Haram mountain hideout2026-06-07 — BBC
- How ISWAP and Boko Haram are reshaping the Lake Chad Basin2026-05-18 — Al Jazeera
- Dozens of Nigerian fishermen feared dead after Chad air strikes on Boko Haram2026-05-11 — BBC
- Boko Haram attack kills 23 soldiers in Chad’s Lake Chad region2026-05-05 — Al Jazeera
- Chad declares national mourning after deadly Boko Haram ambush2026-05-07 — Al Jazeera
Overview
Nigeria faces a jihadist insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the northeast, alongside armed banditry in the northwest and farmer-herder violence in the middle belt.
This page is an evergreen orientation. Figures and control change continually — confirm the latest with the primary sources listed below.
Key actors
- Nigerian security forces — the military and police.
- Boko Haram — the long-running jihadist insurgency.
- ISWAP — the Islamic State West Africa Province.
- Armed bandits and militias — driving violence in other regions.
What's at stake
- Counter-insurgency: containing Boko Haram and ISWAP.
- Civilian security: kidnappings, raids, and displacement.
- Food security: violence disrupting farming regions.
- Regional spillover: links to the Sahel and Lake Chad basin.
Nigeria Conflict explained: the key dynamics
Boko Haram and ISWAP in the northeast
The northeast faces a long-running jihadist insurgency split between Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which conduct attacks, kidnappings, and raids around the Lake Chad basin.
Banditry in the northwest
Separate from the jihadist insurgency, heavily armed criminal gangs — widely termed bandits — carry out mass kidnappings and village raids across the northwest.
Farmer–herder violence
In the middle belt, competition over land and water between farming and herding communities produces recurrent deadly violence, adding a third major axis of insecurity.
Timeline: how the nigeria conflict unfolded
- 2009 — Boko Haram launches its insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.
- 2014 — The group seizes territory and abducts the Chibok schoolgirls, drawing global attention.
- 2016 — A faction splits to form ISWAP, aligned with the Islamic State.
- 2018–26 — Jihadist insurgency persists alongside banditry and farmer–herder violence.
How this conflict is mapped and tracked
Nigeria's overlapping crises are tracked by ACLED across distinct categories — jihadist insurgency, banditry, and communal violence — which is why national totals can obscure very different dynamics by region. UCDP records the insurgency dyads; kidnapping and raid figures are estimates.
For how these datasets differ, see ACLED vs UCDP vs CFR and our guide to conflict-tracking tools.
How it fits the global picture
This is one of 29 active armed conflict theaters tracked on the Global Armed Conflicts Map. Explore related and concurrent conflicts:
Frequently asked questions
Is Nigeria at war in 2026?
Nigeria faces an active insurgency by Boko Haram and ISWAP plus widespread banditry and communal violence. Confirm the current status with primary sources such as ACLED, UCDP, and the CFR Global Conflict Tracker.
What is the difference between Boko Haram and ISWAP?
ISWAP split from Boko Haram and is aligned with the Islamic State; both operate in northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin.
How can I follow it live?
Use the interactive conflict map to see this theater alongside 28 other active conflicts, filter by intensity and region, and open intelligence briefings for each.
Is Boko Haram still active in 2026?
Yes. Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP remain active in the northeast and Lake Chad basin, though the security picture varies and both have faced military pressure.
What is the difference between Boko Haram and the bandits?
Boko Haram and ISWAP are jihadist insurgent groups in the northeast; the bandits are criminal gangs in the northwest motivated mainly by profit through kidnapping and raiding, without the same ideological agenda.