Nigeria’s kidnap-for-ransom crisis has evolved into a full-blown criminal economy, generating at least N2.57 billion for armed groups between July 2024 and June 2025, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence.
The report, The Year Ahead at an Inflexion Point, found that while kidnappers demanded an estimated N48 billion during the 12-month period, they successfully extracted N2.57 billion, underscoring how abductions have become increasingly organised, profit-driven, and deeply embedded in Nigeria’s insecurity landscape.
SBM Intelligence warned that kidnapping in Nigeria is no longer an opportunistic crime but an industry thriving amid weak governance, vast unpoliced territories, and escalating violence.
Ransom demands surge, dollar value remains modest
According to the report, at least 4,722 people were abducted across 997 incidents, with no fewer than 762 deaths recorded nationwide during the period under review.
While ransom demands surged sharply in naira terms, the report noted that the real value realised by kidnappers in dollar terms remained relatively modest due to currency depreciation. The N2.57 billion collected translates to approximately $1.66 million, only slightly higher than the $1.13 million equivalent of N653.7 million paid in 2022.
“Whereas N653.7 million in 2022 equalled approximately $1.13 million, the far larger sums now extracted yield only a modest increase in dollar terms, prompting criminals to inflate naira demands,” SBM Intelligence stated.
Northwest emerges as kidnapping capital
Nigeria’s Northwest region remained the epicentre of the kidnapping economy, accounting for 42.6 percent of all incidents and 62.2 percent of victims nationwide.
Zamfara State recorded the highest number of victims at 1,203, followed by Kaduna and Katsina States. The report attributed the concentration of kidnappings to vast, poorly governed rural areas and entrenched bandit networks capable of executing mass abductions with minimal resistance.
By contrast, the Southwest recorded the lowest activity levels, accounting for just 5.3 percent of incidents and 3 percent of victims.
Mass abductions — incidents involving more than five victims — made up about 23 percent of all kidnapping cases and were overwhelmingly concentrated in northern states. In some instances, victims were forced to work on bandit-controlled farms and mining sites, further strengthening criminals’ bargaining power during ransom negotiations.
Violence escalates alongside kidnapping economy
Beyond ransom-related crimes, the report highlighted persistent and escalating violence across multiple regions in 2025.
In the Northcentral, attacks linked to Fulani herdsmen continued, with Benue State particularly affected. Zamfara State also recorded repeated deadly incidents, including mass killings and large-scale abductions across several local government areas.
The violence peaked in June with the Yelewata massacre in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where about 200 people were killed in a single attack.
SBM Intelligence concluded that kidnapping and mass violence have consolidated into parallel criminal enterprises, posing severe humanitarian and economic risks while further eroding state authority in already fragile regions.
What you should know
Nigeria has witnessed a sharp rise in violent attacks and mass abductions in recent years, intensifying calls for stronger security responses.
One of the most high-profile incidents occurred at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, where more than 300 students and 12 teachers were abducted in late November. Although the victims were later released, whether ransom was paid remains unclear.
In response to the growing insecurity, President Bola Tinubu recently approved an increase in Nigeria Police Force recruitment from 30,000 to 50,000 officers, citing emerging national security challenges.
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