Niamey: The repeal of Niger's law criminalizing migrant trafficking, coupled with the intensifying civil war in Sudan and Chad's limited control capacity, has transformed North Africa and the Sahel into a global nexus for irregular migration. This shift has diverted migration to clandestine routes, intertwining war, gold, and human trafficking into a complex crime network.
According to Anadolu Agency, political and security developments in Niger, Sudan, and Chad have significantly reshaped irregular migration dynamics in the region over recent years. The Sahel and North Africa have been active centers for irregular migration and human smuggling for the past 25 years.
Migration routes from West Africa converge in Niger's Agadez, heading toward Libya and the Mediterranean, making Niger a key country in irregular migration within the Sahel. The 2016 implementation of Law No. 2015-36, which criminalized migrant transportation with severe sentences, drove migration activities underground. However, the 2023 military coup in Niger led to the law's repeal in November 2023, although this did not bring migration activities above ground. Instead, migration shifted to more dangerous routes, and smuggling networks remained highly organized.
Chad has emerged as a new hub due to Sudan's ongoing civil war. According to UN refugee agency data, over 1.2 million refugees have fled Sudan's conflict, seeking refuge in Chad, transforming it into a challenging transit hub toward Libya and the Mediterranean. Smuggling networks have capitalized on Chad's weaker oversight capacity, making it a key player in irregular migration.
Mali and Sudan have also become crucial zones for sustaining irregular migration networks across the Sahel. Migration routes have shifted westward through Mali toward Algeria, taking advantage of weakened state authority in Mali's northern regions. Sudan's civil war has created one of the world's largest displacement crises, heightening instability across the Sahel and increasing the risks of human trafficking along the Sudan-Chad-Libya axis.
Women and children bear the brunt of these perilous journeys. UNODC's 2025 analyses indicate that children account for approximately 40% of human trafficking victims in the region. Illegal gold mines in the Sahara have become modern slavery stops for migrants en route to Europe, while women face sexual violence along transit routes. Unaccompanied children are at risk of forced labor, begging, or recruitment by armed groups.