Monitor. Analyse. Anticipate.
Understanding West Africa. Anticipating What Comes Next.
Independent, open-source analysis of political, conflict and security developments across West Africa — helping policymakers and stakeholders anticipate risks and respond earlier.
West Africa
Regional Focus
06
Intelligence Themes
05
Core Products
05
Core Services
Latest Intelligence
Signals from across the region
A rolling record of WACSM's analytical output — weekly outlooks, monthly assessments, spotlights and focused reports.
16 Aug 2025 · Regional — Sahel
Weekly West Africa Outlook
Militant attacks intensified in the central Sahel this week, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso, alongside continued economic pressure and protests over inflation in Nigeria.
1 Aug 2025 · Regional
Monthly Regional Assessment
A broader review of political transitions, governance trends and emerging security risks across West Africa over the preceding month.
15 Aug 2025 · Mauritania
Mauritania Deepens Regional Engagement and Security Cooperation
President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani undertook high-level working visits to Mali and Côte d'Ivoire, reaffirming Mauritania's commitment to dialogue, security cooperation and economic integration.
20 Jul 2025 · Regional — Gulf of Guinea
Maritime Security and Illicit Oil Activity in the Gulf of Guinea
A deep-dive analysis of maritime security operations, illegal oil activity and their implications for coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea.
5 Jul 2025 · Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Election: Early Assessment
A focused assessment of the political landscape ahead of Côte d'Ivoire's presidential election, including risk factors and diplomatic considerations.
Featured Report
Weekly West Africa Outlook
A concise weekly assessment of major political, conflict and security developments across West Africa. Each issue identifies emerging risks and trends, tracks key developments by date and category, and provides forward-looking analysis of what to watch next.
- Issue
- Issue No. 001
- Coverage
- 10–16 Aug 2025
- Structure
- 7 sections
What We Monitor
Six themes shape our analysis
WACSM structures its monitoring and reporting around the issues most likely to shape peace, conflict and security outcomes in the region.
Dialogue & Preventive Diplomacy
Tracking mediation efforts and diplomatic engagement aimed at preventing escalation before it happens.
Elections
Monitoring electoral processes and political transitions, and the risks associated with them.
Good Governance
Assessing governance quality, institutional resilience and accountability across the region.
Multilateralism
Following the role of regional and international institutions in shaping outcomes in West Africa.
Regional Cooperation
Examining cross-border collaboration on security, trade and humanitarian issues.
Terrorism & Violent Extremism
Analysing the evolution of militant threats and their impact on civilians and institutions.
Regional Coverage
West Africa Intelligence Map
Select a country to view a sample of the political and security risk assessments WACSM tracks across the region.
Nigeria
Sample dataLatest Intelligence
Protests over economic hardship in Abuja and Lagos over inflation, fuel prices and governance.
Sample data shown for illustration. This module is built to connect to WACSM’s live intelligence data as it becomes available.
Intelligence Products
Structured products for every level of detail
From concise weekly signals to deep-dive special reports, each WACSM product is built for a specific analytical need.
Weekly Report
Concise weekly assessment of political, conflict and security developments.
View Weekly ReportsMonthly Report
Broader assessment of regional developments, trends and emerging risks.
View Monthly ReportsServices
Intelligence Built for Decision-Makers
WACSM works with policymakers, institutions and researchers who need clear, structured analysis they can act on.
Policy Briefs
Concise analysis designed to support policy and decision-making.
Political Analysis
Independent assessment of political developments and their implications.
Risk Assessment
Structured analysis of emerging political and security risks.
Security Forecast
Forward-looking assessments designed to support preparedness and early response.
Subscription
Provide access to WACSM's intelligence products.
Responsible Intelligence
Standards behind every report
WACSM provides open-source reports grounded in evidence-based, credible data — upholding the standards a serious regional monitoring institution requires.
Evidence-based analysis
WACSM's reports are built on open-source, credible data and structured analytical methods.
Independent & impartial
Our assessments are produced without political affiliation, aiming to serve the region's stability.
Zero tolerance for misinformation
WACSM maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward misinformation, disinformation, fake news and hate speech.
Work With Us
Strengthening West Africa Through Knowledge & Collaboration
WACSM collaborates with a broad range of institutions and individuals committed to peace, security and good governance in the region.
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