Jihadist groups in West Africa are now using commercial drones to attack military and civilian targets. Since 2023, Acled, a violence monitoring group, recorded 69 drone strikes by an al-Qaeda affiliate in Burkina Faso and Mali. Islamic State groups have launched about 20 drone strikes, mostly in Nigeria. The latest attack was on 29 January in Nigeria's Borno state. Jihadists used several armed drones along with ground fighters against a military base, killing nine soldiers, said the military. The Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) is the most active in drone use, says Acled analyst Ladd Serwat. The drones used are mainly inexpensive quadcopters fitted with explosives or used for spying. Nigeria tightly controls drones, but jihadists get them through smuggling across borders, explains researcher Malik Samuel. Security expert Audu Bulama Bukarti says drones lower attack costs and let militants strike hard-to-reach military targets. Iswap has made 10 drone strikes since 2024 in Nigeria, as well as nearby countries. Another group, Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), attacked Niger's capital airport on 29 January, injuring four soldiers and killing 20 militants. It might have used drones in this attack, possibly its first in Niger. Al-Qaeda’s Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) leads in drone use with 69 strikes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Togo. JNIM even uses first-person view (FPV) drones for precise attacks. Analysts say jihadists learn from foreign fighters to weaponize everyday drones. Drone strikes help militants avoid casualties and improve attack success. Some drone attacks hit civilians, especially in places supporting the government. Experts warn West African armies must act fast by targeting drone bases and upgrading counter-drone tech or face growing threats from drone warfare.