Travel in the Sahel region of Africa is highly dangerous for most international travellers in 2026, particularly across Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad. Armed insurgencies, kidnapping risks, and the near-total collapse of state authority in large parts of the region make it one of the most challenging operating environments in the world. The sections below address the most pressing questions organisations face when assessing travel risk in the Sahel.
Which countries in the Sahel are considered most dangerous?
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are consistently rated among the most dangerous countries in the Sahel for international travellers in 2026. All three have experienced military coups in recent years, significant withdrawals of Western military and diplomatic presence, and rapid territorial expansion by armed groups. Chad carries elevated risk in its northern and eastern regions, while Mauritania and Senegal are comparatively more stable but not without threat in border zones.
Mali has seen the French-led Barkhane mission withdraw and UN peacekeepers depart, leaving large swathes of the north and centre under the effective control of jihadist factions aligned with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Burkina Faso has experienced some of the fastest deterioration of any country in the region, with government forces losing control of significant territory and humanitarian access severely restricted. Niger, following its 2023 coup, expelled Western military partners and has seen security conditions worsen in the Tillabéri region and along the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.
For organisations with any footprint across these countries, the risk profile is not static. It shifts with political developments, seasonal conflict patterns, and the movement of armed groups across borders that are largely uncontrolled in practice.
What are the main security threats in the Sahel today?
The main security threats in the Sahel in 2026 are jihadist insurgency, kidnapping for ransom, inter-communal violence, and the near-complete absence of effective law enforcement across large territories. These threats often overlap, making the operating environment unpredictable even for experienced security professionals.
Jihadist insurgency and armed group activity
Two primary jihadist networks operate across the Sahel: Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), affiliated with al-Qaeda, and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). Both groups conduct attacks on military and civilian targets, impose informal governance in areas they control, and actively target foreign nationals. Road ambushes, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, and complex attacks on compounds are all documented tactics.
Kidnapping for ransom
Foreign nationals, particularly those working in development, media, mining, and NGO sectors, remain priority targets for kidnapping operations. Ransom demands are often substantial, and resolution timelines can extend to months or years without specialist intervention. The risk is highest in rural and peri-urban areas, but urban kidnappings have also occurred in capital cities.
Inter-communal and criminal violence
Beyond organised armed groups, inter-communal violence between farming and herding communities has intensified across the Sahel, driven partly by climate pressures and competition for resources. Criminal networks also exploit the security vacuum, engaging in smuggling, trafficking, and opportunistic attacks on travellers.
How has the security situation in the Sahel changed in recent years?
The security situation in the Sahel has deteriorated significantly over the past five years, accelerating sharply following a series of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2021 and 2023. The departure of Western military forces and the arrival of Russian-linked Wagner Group personnel in Mali and Burkina Faso have fundamentally altered the security architecture of the region.
The withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA from Mali in 2023 removed a stabilising presence that, despite its limitations, had provided some degree of deterrence and monitoring. In Burkina Faso, the proportion of territory under government control has shrunk considerably, with humanitarian organisations reporting that large populations are effectively cut off from assistance.
For organisations that had previously operated in the Sahel under a framework that assumed some level of state authority, these changes demand a complete reassessment. Travel risk assessments and security management strategies that were valid three years ago may no longer reflect the operational reality on the ground. Country assessments need to be updated continuously rather than reviewed annually.
What does travel risk management look like for Sahel operations?
Effective travel risk management for Sahel operations requires a layered, intelligence-led approach that goes well beyond standard pre-travel briefings. Given the volatility of the region, organisations must treat every movement as a high-risk operation requiring dedicated planning, live monitoring, and clear escalation protocols.
The core components of a credible travel risk management framework for the Sahel include:
- Pre-travel threat assessments: Detailed, current intelligence on the specific route, destination, and timing, not generic country-level summaries
- Secure ground transportation: Armoured vehicles and vetted local drivers with operational knowledge of current route conditions
- Real-time traveller tracking: Continuous visibility of personnel location, with check-in protocols calibrated to risk level
- 24/7 operations centre support: A dedicated team that can respond to incidents, adjust plans, and coordinate emergency response without delay
- Evacuation planning: Pre-agreed extraction routes, aviation options, and trigger points that define when evacuation becomes the appropriate response
- Local network access: Vetted in-country partners who understand ground conditions in real time and can provide practical support
For high-risk country travel in the Sahel, standard corporate travel management tools are insufficient. The environment requires specialist capability, not adapted general-purpose solutions. Organisations operating across multiple Sahel countries simultaneously face compounded complexity, as conditions in each country can shift independently and simultaneously.
When should a company consider evacuating staff from the Sahel?
A company should consider evacuating staff from the Sahel when the threat environment shifts beyond the parameters established in the pre-deployment risk assessment or when a specific incident creates immediate risk to personnel. Waiting for a crisis to fully materialise before initiating evacuation planning is one of the most common and costly mistakes organisations make in high-risk environments.
Specific triggers that should prompt immediate evacuation consideration include:
- A coup, attempted coup, or sudden change in government that disrupts security forces and creates a power vacuum
- Credible, specific intelligence indicating that foreign nationals or the organisation’s personnel are being targeted
- Significant deterioration in the security situation in or around the operating area, including armed group advances or major attacks
- Closure of borders, airports, or key transit routes that would complicate extraction if delayed
- Loss of communication with in-country personnel beyond pre-agreed check-in windows
- Instruction from the host government or a credible security authority to leave a specific area
The decision to evacuate is rarely straightforward, particularly when business continuity and contractual obligations are involved. However, the cost of a delayed decision in an environment like the Sahel can be severe. Organisations with pre-established evacuation plans, vetted aviation options, and an active relationship with a specialist response provider are far better positioned to act quickly when conditions change. Evacuation from remote Sahel locations often depends on charter aviation, which requires advance notice, airfield access assessment, and coordination with local authorities, none of which can be arranged effectively in real time without preparation.
What duty of care obligations apply to employees travelling in the Sahel?
Employers have a legal and moral duty of care obligation to take all reasonably practicable steps to protect employees travelling on company business, including in high-risk environments like the Sahel. In most jurisdictions, this obligation does not disappear because a destination is dangerous, it becomes more demanding, requiring proportionate measures that reflect the elevated risk.
Under frameworks such as ISO 31030, which provides internationally recognised guidance on travel risk management, organisations are expected to:
- Conduct destination-specific risk assessments before authorising travel
- Provide employees with adequate pre-travel information and training
- Maintain real-time visibility of travelling personnel
- Have documented emergency response and evacuation procedures in place
- Ensure access to medical assistance and security support while personnel are in the field
For Sahel operations, meeting these obligations requires specialist support. A generic travel insurance policy and a country advisory page are not sufficient. If an organisation cannot demonstrate that it took proportionate, documented steps to assess and mitigate risk, it faces significant legal, reputational, and ethical exposure in the event of an incident.
Duty of care in high-risk environments is increasingly scrutinised by regulators, insurers, and employees themselves. Organisations that treat it as a compliance checkbox rather than an operational commitment are consistently less prepared when incidents occur.
How NGS supports organisations operating in the Sahel
Northcott Global Solutions provides specialist security and travel risk management for organisations with personnel in complex and high-risk environments, including across the Sahel region. For travel risk and duty of care professionals managing operations in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, or neighbouring countries, NGS delivers the operational depth that the environment demands.
Key capabilities include:
- Pre-travel risk assessments calibrated to specific routes, timings, and operating contexts in the Sahel
- 24/7 traveller monitoring through the Aurora platform, with live tracking and mass communication capability via SIREN
- Secure ground transportation using armoured vehicles and vetted local drivers with current route intelligence
- Emergency evacuation planning and execution, including charter aviation and cross-border movement support
- Close protection and in-country security support for personnel operating in high-threat locations
- ISO 31030-aligned frameworks to help organisations meet their duty of care obligations with documented, auditable processes
NGS operates across more than 190 countries and has a proven track record in some of the world’s most demanding environments, including the evacuation of nearly 4,000 personnel from Libya and large-scale operations during the Arab Spring. If your organisation has personnel in the Sahel or is planning operations in the region, speak to the NGS team to discuss your specific requirements.
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