The number of refugees and forcibly displaced people across West and Central Africa has doubled since 2019, reaching nearly 14 million, according to a new report from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).
Data from the UNHCR shows a sharp rise from 6.5 million displaced persons in 2019 to 13.7 million by 2024. The agency expects the figure to continue climbing, with projections suggesting it could reach 14 million by the end of this year and up to 15 million by 2025.
This alarming increase does not include the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where at least seven million people are displaced, according to UN estimates.
At a press conference in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, UNHCR Regional Director Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde highlighted Chad’s precarious position, with one in 17 residents now classified as a refugee. Since the onset of Sudan’s civil war in April 2023, Chad has taken in 650,000 refugees, adding to the 420,000 Sudanese refugees it was already hosting.
In addition to refugees from Sudan, Chad has also become a refuge for tens of thousands fleeing instability in neighbouring countries such as the Central African Republic, Nigeria, and Cameroon, all of which face security challenges.
The broader Sahel region has experienced a significant decline in security over the past decade, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger particularly affected by jihadist violence. As a result, between 4.5 and 5 million people are internally displaced within these countries, while others have sought refuge in the Gulf of Guinea nations, Mauritania, and southern Algeria, Gnon-Konde noted.
With many displaced people unable to return home, some for decades, the UNHCR is urging host countries to incorporate refugees into their national development plans to better manage the crisis.