Niger’s capital rocked by failed mutiny attempt: Could jihadist groups benefit?
Heni Nsaibia comments on what Niger’s failed coup attempt means for the country’s worsening security crisis.
Global Risk Center
Africa
Staff
Héni Nsaibia
Regional Expert, West Africa
Héni is ACLED’s West Africa Regional Expert. He leads the conflict data collection and analysis for the Sahel. He is also the director of Menastream, a research and risk consultancy that provides intelligence analysis and tailored services.
His research interests and expertise center around insurgencies and their various dimensions, and non-state actors in Sahelian countries. In addition to his research activities, Héni is regularly consulted by the media, government agencies, and various organizations on security issues in the Sahel and North Africa.
Héni has over 15 years of experience in researching the broader MENA-region. He is the co-author of The Islamic State in Africa: The Emergence, Evolution, and Future of the Next Jihadist Battlefront (Hurst Publishers). His work and commentary have been published in the CTC Sentinel, African Affairs, ISPI, Le Monde, Jeune Afrique, The Guardian, TIME, and Al Jazeera, among others.
Spoken languages: English, French and Swedish Timezone: Central European Time - CET
Content by this author
Extraction under fire: How mining reshapes conflict in the central Sahel
Mining sites are attractive revenue sources for armed actors in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. However, ACLED’s analysis of mining-related violence reveals that the competition around them goes much deeper.
Is the Malian military losing against JNIM?
ACLED’s West Africa Senior Analyst Heni Nsaibia comments on the latest developments of the conflict in Mali
Battle for Anefis: What's happening in northern Mali?
ACLED’s West Africa Senior Analyst Héni Nsaibia comments on how the JNIM–FLA alliance is testing the Malian regime and its Russian partners
Africa Overview: July 2026
The extension of the Somali president’s term triggered fighting in Mogadishu, and jihadist violence in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria escalated.
What does the Niamey airport attack mean for Niger’s security?
ACLED’s West Africa Senior Analyst Héni Nsaibia comments on latest attack to Niger's Niamey Airport
Africa Overview: June 2026
The ADF ramped up violence in Ituri amid the Ebola outbreak, and JNIM launched a deadly campaign against Dozo militias in Mali.
Jihadist groups pose a growing and expanding threat in Africa
Islamist militants are exerting growing military strength in targeting the state forces and civilians across several regions of the continent.
Past events
Webinar | Extraction under fire: How mining reshapes conflict in the Sahel
Watch the recorded webinar where ACLED, the GI-TOC and the International Land Coalition examined how mining is reshaping security, governance, and livelihoods across the Sahel.
Webinar | Connected insurgencies: The global evolution of jihadist groups
Watch the recorded conversation with regional experts where we explore the overlapping patterns of jihadist movements across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Register now!
Webinar | Escalating jihadist violence in the Benin, Niger & Nigeria border triangle
Watch the recorded webinar discussing the escalating jihadist violence in the Benin, Niger, and Nigeria border triangle.
ACLED Webinar | Tackling the Islamic State threat in Africa: State responses and the road ahead
Watch ACLED analysts on Somalia, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, the Great Lakes region, and northern Mozambique, for another in-depth analysis of IS’s pivot to Africa and the evolving nature of African regional security.
Webinar | The Islamic State’s pivot to Africa
The Islamic State is increasingly pivoting its operations toward Africa. Watch the recorded webinar for a deep dive with our experts as they examined IS’s expanding strongholds, providing insights into the actions of the group in five African regions.
Webinar | Emerging frontlines: How Jihadist expansion is reshaping Benin, Niger, and Nigeria
Watch the recorded webinar examining the latest data behind the jihadist movements in Benin, Niger, and Nigeria and their impacts on the exposed population.
