Chad Travel Risk

Do not travel in Chad for any reason due to risk of crime, terrorism, unrest, inadequate health infrastructure, kidnapping, and landmines.

Outside of N’Djamena, the U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Chad. U.S. government employees working in Chad need special authorization to travel outside of the capital due to safety risks. Embassy N’Djamena has implemented in-city restrictions for U.S. government employees, to include limits on areas acceptable for night driving and requirements for mandatory armored vehicle use.

Crime

Both violent and petty crime are a real danger in Chad. Violent crimes include muggings, purse snatching, armed robbery, home invasion, carjacking, and sexual assault. Common petty crime includes pickpocketing. Both visitors and residents face these threats.

• Limited resources and inadequate law enforcement training hinder police response to serious crime in most areas.

Terrorism

There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Chad. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more.

Terrorist groups have targeted:

• Religious venues
• Schools
• Government buildings
• Police stations
• Transportation hubs
• Markets
• Areas visited by tourists, including national parks
• These attacks have resulted in the deaths of Chadians as well as foreign visitors. Americans should remain alert and avoid large public gatherings.

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Areas where FCDO advises against travel

Borkou, Ennedi Ouest, Ennedi Est and Tibesti provinces

FCDO advises against all travel to the northern provinces of Chad:

• Borkou Province
• Ennedi Ouest Province
• Ennedi Est Province
• Tibesti Province

Kanem Province, including Nokou

FCDO advises against all travel to the western part of Kanem Province, including the town of Nokou.

Lake Chad region

FCDO advises against all travel to the Lake Chad region.

Within 30km of all Chad’s other borders

FCDO advises against all travel to within 30km of all of Chad’s other borders.

The rest of Chad

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the rest of Chad, including the capital, N’Djamena.

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

This guide also has safety advice for regions of Chad.

Terrorism

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.

Terrorism in Chad

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Chad.

Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and occur without warning, including in places visited by foreign nationals, such as:

• hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs
• shopping areas and markets
• airports and other transport hubs
• places of worship (especially churches)
• national parks
• foreign embassies and other diplomatic or military facilities
• national and local government facilities

Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities. Avoid all large gatherings, including:

• music festivals
• shows and concerts
• sporting events
• public marches and demonstrations

Be extra cautious during elections, festivities, and religious and public holidays.

The terrorist groups Islamic State West Africa and Boko Haram remain active in the Lake Chad region. In an attack in 2022, Boko Haram killed at least 30 Chadian soldiers near Baga Sola, Lac Province. A state of emergency is in place in the Lac and Kanem provinces with Chadian security forces conducting military operations. In October 2024, at least 40 soldiers were killed in an attack by Boko Haram on a Chadian military base in Barkaram, Lake Chad region.

Terrorist kidnapping

There is a high risk of terrorist kidnapping in the Lake Chad Basin and the border areas with Cameroon, Sudan and the Central African Republic.

British nationals are seen as legitimate targets, including tourists, humanitarian aid workers, journalists and business travellers. If you are kidnapped, the reason for your presence is unlikely to protect you or secure your safe release.

There is also a high risk of terrorist kidnapping in the Sahel region, which includes Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. Over the last 10 years, terrorist groups in the Sahel have kidnapped western nationals, including tourists, non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers and diplomats, and are still holding several hostages. Kidnappers have killed some hostages, including several British nationals.

Terrorist groups active in the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel region include Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Islamic State West Africa (ISWA), Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS), Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Murabitoun, Ansar Dine and Boko Haram. These groups can carry out attacks and kidnappings over long distances. Boko Haram and ISWA also take hostages from neighbouring Cameroon, northern Nigeria and the Diffa region of Niger. Kidnapping for ransom is the main source of finance for JNIM. Criminal gangs also carry out kidnappings for terrorist groups in return for financial rewards.

You should always stay alert, especially when travelling and in crowded public places, including camps for displaced people, religious gatherings and insecure spaces such as places of worship, markets, shopping areas, hotels, bars, nightclubs, restaurants and transport hubs. Make sure you have carefully considered the threat and have reasonable, proportionate mitigation measures in place.

The long-standing policy of the British government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. The British government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners builds the capability of terrorist groups and finances their activities. This can, in turn, increase the risk of further hostage-taking. The Terrorism Act (2000) makes payments to terrorists illegal.

Transport risks

Road travel

If you are planning to drive in Chad, see information on driving abroad.

You must convert your UK driving licence to a Chadian one to drive in Chad.

Driving standards and security

Road travel can be dangerous due to road conditions and the standard of driving. Accidents involving motorbikes are common. Crowds quickly gather around the scene of an accident and, while rarely violent, can be intimidating. If you’re involved in an accident, try to contact the police or other local authority immediately. Phone: 2020 (police) or 1212 (fire and ambulance).

Do not travel by road after dark due to the risk of crime and poor road conditions. Military guards may think you’re a security risk if you drive near government buildings at night.

Travel in convoy, keep doors locked and carry spare fuel and supplies. There are often fuel shortages.

Police checkpoints are common. Officers may ask you to show your passport, driving licence and vehicle registration documents.

Take great care on the road in front of the Presidential Palace in N’Djamena where there have been recent shootings including fatalities.

Travelling outside N’Djamena

To travel outside N’Djamena, you must get authorisation from the Ministry of the Interior, which is normally granted without difficulty after a few days. Many businesses arrange escorts when their western staff travel outside the capital for any reason.

Before you consider any travel outside the capital, take professional security advice. You should:

• follow your employer’s security advice, if available
• inform the correct Chadian authorities of your journey
• use a police or military escort and carry communications equipment
• have the right permits
• hold appropriate travel insurance

This section has safety advice for regions of Chad. It only covers regions where FCDO has specific advice.

You should also read FCDO’s overall travel advice and safety and security advice.

Borkou, Ennedi Ouest, Ennedi Est and Tibesti provinces

FCDO advises against all travel to the northern provinces of Chad:

• Borkou Province
• Ennedi Ouest Province
• Ennedi Est Province
• Tibesti Province

There are many landmines near the Chad-Libya border in these provinces. The northern provinces are also unsafe due to the presence of rebel groups and contested gold mines.

Kanem Province, including Nokou

FCDO advises against all travel to the western part of Kanem Province, including the town of Nokou due to the risk of terrorism. See Terrorism in Chad.

Lake Chad region

FCDO advises against all travel to the Lake Chad region. There is a high risk of terrorist kidnapping in the Lake Chad region. See Terrorism in Chad.

Within 30km of all Chad’s other borders

FCDO advises against all travel to within 30km of all of Chad’s other borders.

The Chad-Sudan border is closed to travellers, with limited humanitarian exceptions. The Government of Chad closed the border on 23 February 2026 following repeated cross-border incidents linked to the conflict in Sudan. Since late 2025, there has been increased insecurity along the eastern border, including armed clashes and reports of aerial attacks near towns such as Tiné.

The Central African Republic is unstable and the border area is highly insecure, with limited government presence and active armed groups. In 2021, armed groups reportedly entered south-western Chad from the Central African Republic before Chadian forces repelled them. Chadian rebel groups remain active and could launch attacks in Chad without warning.

The rest of Chad

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the rest of Chad, including the capital, N’Djamena.

In 2021 and 2022 protesters and security forces clashed violently in N’Djamena and southern Chad. A number of people were killed.

Partial regional extract; read the full official section.

Risk level

CHAD - AVOID NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

Avoid non-essential travel to Chad, including the capital, N’Djamena, due to the threat of terrorism, the incidences of violent crime and of civil unrest.

Regional risks

Regional advisory - Avoid all travel

Avoid all travel to the following areas:

• within 30 km of all international borders
• the region of Lac
• the northern regions of Tibesti, Ennedi and Borkou (except the town of Faya Largeau)
• West of Mao in the region of Kanem
• the regions of Sila, Wadi Fira and Ouaddaï (except the town of Abéché)

Political Situation

Following the death of the president of Chad in 2021, the Parliament was dissolved and a Transitional Military Council (TMC) was put in place. In October 2022, violent protests related to the ongoing political transition led to clashes with security forces. The events resulted in casualties, including in the city of N’Djamena.

While the situation is currently calm, the potential for political, social or economic unrest remains very high and there is a growing anti-foreigner sentiment across the country. The situation could deteriorate very quickly and without warning.

Border with Sudan and the Central African Republic

In the border areas with Sudan and the Central African Republic, rebel groups are active and create an extremely insecure situation. Attacks have occurred in these areas and there is a serious threat of kidnapping against foreigners.

There’s an ongoing risk for trans-border clashes in eastern Chad (including the Biltine and Ouaddaï provinces). Violent incidents have been reported ins the city of Abéché and its surroundings. There are live minefields in these regions. Crossing these borders anywhere is extremely dangerous.

If you are in these regions despite the advisory in effect:

• travel in convoys of at least two vehicles
• avoid all movements after 6 p.m.

乍得现有红色（极高风险）地区1个，橙色（高风险）地区4个，其他地区均为黄色（中风险）。具体如下:

一、红色地区：提贝斯提地区。外交部提醒中国公民近期暂勿前往乍得上述地区，已在当地的人员和机构尽快撤离或转移至安全地区。如遇紧急情况，请及时报警并与中国驻当地使领馆取得联系。

二、橙色地区：乍得湖地区、博尔库地区、西恩内迪地区、东恩内迪地区。外交部提醒中国公民近期谨慎前往乍得上述地区，已在当地的人员和机构密切关注局势发展，保持高度警惕，加强安全防范和应急准备，确保人身和财产安全。如遇紧急情况，请及时报警并与中国驻当地使领馆取得联系。

三、黄色地区：其他地区。外交部提醒在乍得其他地区的人员也要加强防范，注意安全。如遇紧急情况，请及时报警并与中国驻当地使领馆取得联系。

外交部和驻外使领馆将继续密切关注海外安全形势变化，动态调整有关风险评估，并实时在中国领事服务网等平台发布、更新相应安全提醒，请持续关注。