From inland strongholds to coastal corridors: economic warfare and regional security in West Africa
Timeframe: 01/11/2025 – 30/04/2026
Key Insights
- The brief examines how jihadist groups JNIM and ISSP are expanding from their traditional Sahelian strongholds into coastal West African countries as part of a strategic shift aimed at securing revenue streams and controlling illicit trade routes. It argues the future stability of the region depends on the newly formed AES Unified Force’s ability to integrate its operations with national security structures and overcome diplomatic tensions to coordinate with regional bodies.
Definition
Economic warfare refers to the strategic targeting of critical infrastructure combined with the systematic control of illicit trade routes in order to fund jihadist expansion in coastal West Africa.
Economic warfare has become a defining feature of the strategy employed by the two groups, as demonstrated by the fuel blockade imposed on Mali’s capital Bamako by JNIM in the last months of 2025.
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