The core countries of focus in this update are Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. Depending on the quarterly trends and migration-related updates, more attention may be given to any of the countries over the rest.
For the first time since 2020, the Western Mediterranean Route (WMR) has become Spain’s primary entry point in 2025, with cumulative arrivals (14,648) exceeding those recorded in the Canary Islands (12,909). Overall, Spain recorded 27,557 arrivals as of 28 September 2025, a 35% decrease compared to last year but a 30% increase from the previous quarter.
Departure dynamics are also shifting southward along the Atlantic route, with growing numbers of boats leaving from The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea as smugglers adapt to tighter controls further north. Journeys are becoming longer and riskier, often exceeding 2,000 km and up to 10 days at sea.
A Human Rights Watch report alleged widespread abuses by Mauritanian security forces against migrants between 2020 and early 2025, linked to EU and Spanish support for border control. Mauritanian authorities rejected the claims, highlighting reforms launched in 2025.
Growing numbers of Malians and Burkinabe are seeking refuge in eastern Senegal’s Bakel department. This comes as both Mali and Burkina Faso face a deterioration in security, with a marked increase in attacks and violence across the central Sahel that is spreading into neighboring countries.
The number of Burkinabe refugees in Mali has increased amid escalating violence in Burkina Faso. Between June and August, the number of registered refugees rose by more than 20,000 people (+21%), reaching over 114,600. The Bandiagara region, particularly Koro, has seen the largest numbers, with around 38,000 arrivals between April and August, 14,269 in August alone.
Inter-ethnic clashes in northwestern Ghana in late August left 31 dead and displaced around 50,000 people. About 14,000 crossed into Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, mainly from the Birifor ethnic group, though some 8,000 later returned.
The U.S. administration has begun outsourcing deportations to African countries under new agreements. In September, Ghana confirmed receiving 14 deportees at Washington’s request. Five of the deported migrants have filed lawsuits in the U.S., claiming their removal through Ghana unlawfully bypassed protections against return to their home countries. Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau have rejected similar U.S. proposals, citing policy and capacity concerns.
The QMMUs offer a quarterly update on new trends and dynamics related to mixed migration and relevant policy developments in the region. These updates are based on a compilation of a wide range of secondary (data) sources, brought together within a regional framework and applying a mixed migration analytical lens. Similar QMMUs are available for all MMC regions.
