Claim: Ghana is the only country in West Africa that has not fallen victim to terrorist violence.

Source: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Verdict: False

Researched by Nusrat Essah

Former President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, claimed during his final State of the Nations Address (SONA) on January 3, 2025; that Ghana is the only country in West Africa that has not recorded any terrorist violence.

“Mr Speaker, the first responsibility of a government is the safety and security of the state and its people. I am happy to report that our country’s territorial integrity is intact and all our borders are secure. 

“In a neighbourhood of widespread instability, it is no longer an assumption we can make that our land would be safe and secure. Ghana, by the grace of God, remains the only country in the neighbourhood that has not fallen victim to terrorist violence,” he said. 

Fact-Check

Given the security concerns in the West African region, GhanaFact sought to verify this claim using data from the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED).

WANEP is a leading regional organisation that promotes peace, security, and stability in West Africa. WANEP works with various stakeholders, including governments, civil society organisations, and communities, to address conflict prevention, management, and resolution. 

WANEP’s latest West Africa Early Warning Outlook 2024 published in April 2024 provides a map of security threats in West African countries as of January 2024.

From WANEP’s report, GhanaFact extracted the security risk table below, categorising threats in West Africa.

No. Country Security challenges Overall risk 
1 Ghana Arrest

Protest brutality

 Low
2 Togo Terrorist attacks Low
3 Burkina Faso Terrorist attack

Illegal mining

 Medium
4 Ivory Coast Drug abuse Medium
5 The Gambia Migrant returnees Low
6 Senegal Violent demonstrations Low
7 Guinea  Explosion of fuel depot

Polio epidemic

Protests

Arrests

 Medium
8 Guinea-Bissau Political crisis Medium
9 Liberia Protest Medium
10 Nigeria Banditry

Kidnapping

Protest

Farmers’ and herders’ conflict

Outbreaks of diseases

 Medium
11 Cabo Verde Gender-based violence 

Sexual violence

 Low
12 Mali Operations to reconquer territory

Recapture of Kidal

 High
13 Sierra Leone Kush drug 

Protest

 Low
14 Bennin Smuggled petrol Medium
15 Mauritania N/A N/A
16 Niger Terrorist attacks Medium

Based on WANEP’s data, eleven(11) West African countries including Ghana, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Cabo Verde, Sierra Leone, and Benin had not recorded terrorist violence as of January 2024.

GhanaFact further analysed data published by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), an organisation that collects and analyses data on political violence globally. They provide real-time data on conflict events, including information on dates, actors, locations, fatalities, and event types.

ACLED’s Conflict Watchlist 2025 has a record of political violence in West Africa from January 1 to November  29, 2024.

ACLED defines political violence as the use of force by a group with a political purpose or motivation, or with distinct political effects.

The closest component of political violence to acts of terrorism is ‘Battles.’ ACLED defines a ‘Battles’ event as a violent interaction between two organized armed groups at a particular time and location. ‘Battles’ can occur between armed and organized state, non-state, and external groups, and in any combination therein. There is no fatality minimum necessary for inclusion.

From ACLED’s report, GhanaFact extracted a table of political violence against civilians across West Africa.

No. Country Incidents of political violence
1 Ghana No  
2 Togo Yes
3 Burkina Faso Yes
4 Ivory Coast No 
5 The Gambia No 
6 Senegal No 
7 Guinea  No 
8 Guinea-Bissau No 
9 Liberia No 
10 Nigeria Yes
11 Cabo Verde No 
12 Mali Yes
13 Sierra Leone No 
14 Benin Yes
15 Mauritania N/A
16 Niger Yes

Also, from the analysis of ACLED data, at least 9 West African countries; Ghana, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Cabo Verde, and Sierra Leone, did not record any political violence in 2024.

This further contradicts the claim that Ghana is the only country in the neighbourhood without terrorist violence.

Meanwhile, a Security Analyst, Adib Saani, confirmed to GhanaFact that Ghana has indeed not suffered an attack, but also that, Ghana is not immune. “It’s a fact that Ghana has not suffered any terrorist attack. However, we are not immune from attacks,” he said. 

While WANEP’s January 2024 data shows that 11 West African countries had not recorded terrorist violence, ACLED’s 2025 watchlist data shows that at least 9 West African countries apart from Ghana have also not recorded any political violence in the last year.

Therefore, while Ghana has not suffered a terrorist attack as stated by the former president, it is not the only country in West Africa without terrorist violence.

Verdict

Therefore, the claim is rated False