Since the beginning of 2026, Nigeria’s security environment has deteriorated, driven by an intensification of operations by radical Islamist groups in its northern regions. What factors have made Nigeria such a prominent target, and how are external actors exploiting the resulting instability?

In a recent interview, Ibrahim Traore, leader of the junta in Burkina Faso, declared that the population should forget about democracy . A statement that may seem trivial but could raise questions on the future of the dialogue between European countries and the Alliance of Sahel State (AES). Even though the rift between both the EU and AES is deeper, democracy remains essential for Brussel. Therefore, it seems legitimate to question how the EU could possibly overcome its ne

Introduction In the past decade, new security actors arose around the globe, and particularly in Africa, where companies like the Wagner Group or Africa Corps raised concerns. These groups, operating all over the continent are French, British, Russian, Ukrainian, Chinese, Turkish or American, and participate in multiple security activities, ranging from enhancing national military, to conducting reconnaissance and intelligence operations, and some of them directly take part i