Ten African Security Trends from 2025 in Graphics

Africa’s complex security landscape was buffeted by the compounding effects of the growing regionalization of conflicts, militant Islamist group offensives, military coups, and external actor rivalries.

A look back at 2025 in graphics reveals an African security landscape being reshaped by growing external interventions, militaries emboldened to seize and consolidate power, and the proliferation of drones that expands the reach and lethality of armed combatants. The confluence of urbanization, demographic pressures, and the increasing regionalization of conflicts is further straining Africa’s already fragile security environment. Despite these challenges, numerous African countries have made noteworthy progress over the past year in building out their communications, road, rail, and space infrastructure to expand economic productivity and opportunities for the continent’s 1.5 billion, mostly youthful, citizens.

Security has deteriorated under each of the military juntas that seized power in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

A sweeping al Shabaab offensive across much of central Somalia in mid-2025 brought the militants to within 50 kilometers of Mogadishu

The joint Chinese and Egyptian air force drills in May 2025 were the largest Chinese deployments of air power in Africa ever.

The UAE is by far the most engaged regional actor in East Africa, with an estimated $47 billion in projects.

The emergence of violent extremist groups in northwest Nigeria implies the long-feared convergence of militant Islamist groups with organized criminal networks.

African countries are seeking to indigenize drone production capabilities, particularly with the proliferation of small, commercially made drones.

Madagascar’s protests were hijacked by a military coup, underscoring the challenges of translating protests into accountable, democratic governments responsive to citizen interests.

Infrastructure connectivity has advanced with new transport networks, broader electrification, and significant information and communications technology improvements.

Based on reporting by ACSS