Sahel Instability Explained: Coups, Insurgency & Global Power Rivalry

The Sahel region is in the midst of a deepening security and political crisis, marked by a wave of military coups, rising insurgency, and weakening state institutions. In the past three years alone, at least eight coups have reshaped the political landscape across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, raising urgent questions about governance, stability, and regional security in West Africa.As the United States, France, and the United Kingdom scale back or withdraw their security presence, a growing power vacuum has emerged. Russia is increasingly stepping into this space, expanding its military and political influence through security partnerships and strategic engagement with military-led governments.Despite promises by military juntas to restore order and defeat extremist groups, insecurity remains widespread. Jihadist insurgencies continue to spread across the Sahel, while critics argue that the new military regimes are consolidating power rather than delivering stability.Meanwhile, ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) is facing mounting criticism for its limited ability to reverse coups or enforce democratic governance, with its influence increasingly questioned across the region.In this episode of Corporate Cocktail Africa, geopolitical analyst Beverly Ochieng joins Ondiro Oganga and breaks down the drivers of instability in the Sahel, the retreat of Western influence, Russia’s growing footprint, and what this shifting balance of power means for Africa and global geopolitics.