The number of refugees and displaced people in West and Central Africa has doubled in five years, the UN reports.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number has risen from 6.5 million in 2019 to 13.7 million in 2024.
UNHCR regional director Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde said the figure could rise to 15 million by 2025.
These numbers do not include the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an additional seven million people are displaced.
Chad, one of the poorest countries in the world, hosts 650,000 refugees from Sudan, following the 2023 civil war.
Before the Sudanese conflict, Chad was already housing 420,000 refugees from various neighboring countries.
The Sahel region faces ongoing violence, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where up to five million people are displaced.
The UNHCR urged host nations to integrate displaced people into their development programs, as many have been unable to return home.
