Number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria
Nigeria: Number of terrorist attacks was 448 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria, 1970–2021
Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in attacks.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria is 448 attacks, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.3% on the previous year and up 156.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria peaked at 713 attacks in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0 attacks, in 1970.
Nigeria ranks 3rd of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | attacks | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1971 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1972 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1973 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1974 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1975 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1976 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1977 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1978 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1979 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1980 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1981 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1982 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1983 | 3 attacks | — |
| 1984 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1985 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1986 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1987 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1988 | 2 attacks | — |
| 1989 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1990 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1991 | 3 attacks | — |
| 1992 | 11 attacks | +266.7% |
| 1994 | 8 attacks | -27.3% |
| 1995 | 1 attacks | -87.5% |
| 1996 | 11 attacks | +1000.0% |
| 1997 | 20 attacks | +81.8% |
| 1998 | 2 attacks | -90.0% |
| 1999 | 18 attacks | +800.0% |
| 2000 | 6 attacks | -66.7% |
| 2001 | 5 attacks | -16.7% |
| 2002 | 6 attacks | +20.0% |
| 2003 | 9 attacks | +50.0% |
| 2004 | 6 attacks | -33.3% |
| 2005 | 9 attacks | +50.0% |
| 2006 | 37 attacks | +311.1% |
| 2007 | 61 attacks | +64.9% |
| 2008 | 76 attacks | +24.6% |
| 2009 | 42 attacks | -44.7% |
| 2010 | 63 attacks | +50.0% |
| 2011 | 175 attacks | +177.8% |
| 2012 | 615 attacks | +251.4% |
| 2013 | 347 attacks | -43.6% |
| 2014 | 713 attacks | +105.5% |
| 2015 | 641 attacks | -10.1% |
| 2016 | 535 attacks | -16.5% |
| 2017 | 488 attacks | -8.8% |
| 2018 | 650 attacks | +33.2% |
| 2019 | 507 attacks | -22.0% |
| 2020 | 478 attacks | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 448 attacks | -6.3% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 448 attacks is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1 attacks, 448.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +1000.0% | 1 attacks | 11 attacks |
| 1999 | +800.0% | 2 attacks | 18 attacks |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1 attacks | 0 attacks | 1 attacks | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6 attacks | 0 attacks | 3 attacks | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.22 attacks | 0 attacks | 20 attacks | 9 |
| 2000s | 25.7 attacks | 5 attacks | 76 attacks | 10 |
| 2010s | 473.4 attacks | 63 attacks | 713 attacks | 10 |
| 2020s | 463 attacks | 448 attacks | 478 attacks | 2 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More reference data data for Nigeria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 19.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 81.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 14.27 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria?
- Number of terrorist attacks in Nigeria was 448 attacks in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 713 attacks in 2014.
- What is the lowest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1970.
- How does Nigeria rank for number of terrorist attacks?
- Nigeria ranks 3rd out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of terrorist attacks rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 156.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of terrorist attacks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of terrorist attacks.