Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis intensified over the past year, with 7,825 people abducted and at least 1,142 killed between July 2025 and June 2026, according to a new report by security consultancy SBM Intelligence.
The report, released this week, found that the number of kidnapping victims increased by 66 per cent compared with the previous 12-month period, highlighting the growing scale of organised abductions across the country.
More than ₦7.78 billion ($5.79 million) in confirmed ransom payments was recorded during the period, more than three times the ₦2.56 billion documented in the preceding year.
SBM Intelligence said its figures were compiled from media reports, interviews and publicly available information and should be regarded as conservative estimates because many kidnapping cases and ransom payments are never publicly disclosed.
One of the most striking findings was the sharp increase in the proportion of ransom demands that were actually paid.
According to SBM, total ransom demands fell from about ₦48 billion to ₦22.9 billion, while confirmed payments rose from ₦2.56 billion to ₦7.78 billion.
The estimated ransom collection rate consequently increased from 5.35 per cent to 34 per cent.
The consultancy warned that the growing flow of ransom money risks strengthening armed groups and making kidnapping an increasingly sustainable source of funding.
The report found that mass kidnappings accounted for about 79.5 per cent of all victims, pointing to a shift from isolated abductions towards large-scale operations targeting communities, schools and other groups.
Kidnapping was heavily concentrated in northern Nigeria, with the North-West recording more incidents and victims than other regions.
Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina and Kwara were among the states recording the highest numbers of victims, according to the SBM analysis.
In the North-East, however, a faction of Boko Haram known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) accounted for about 90 per cent of recorded ransom payments, according to the report.
SBM identified two major mass-abduction cases as significant contributors to the ransom total.
About ₦5 billion was reportedly paid for the release of 416 captives abducted in Ngoshe, Borno State, while approximately ₦2 billion was paid following the abduction of 315 pupils and staff from St Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State.
Together, the two incidents accounted for roughly ₦7 billion in ransom payments.
The continuing abductions have affected schools, rural communities, transportation and economic activity, while families of victims often face enormous financial pressure to secure the release of relatives.
Security analyst Kehinde Giwa of SBM Intelligence told the Associated Press that ransom payments can create an incentive for further kidnappings, arguing that money paid to secure one victim’s release can help finance another abduction.
The latest figures come amid renewed pressure on the Nigerian government to strengthen security operations and disrupt the financial networks supporting armed groups.
The report suggests that tackling kidnapping will require more than rescuing victims. Authorities will also need to target the financing mechanisms, criminal networks and conditions that allow ransom-driven abductions to remain profitable.
With 7,825 people abducted and more than ₦7.7 billion in confirmed ransom payments in just 12 months, the figures underline the scale of the challenge facing Nigeria as it attempts to contain one of its most persistent security threats.
