Threats to individuals and client assets increased sharply in 2025, with political repatriations also rising amid heightened geopolitical instability and security concerns.

Incidents involving threats to individuals or client assets accounted for 37% of all cases handled by the Willis Alert:24 risk advisory service. Political repatriations were the second most common incident type at 19%.

Overall incident volumes were broadly in line with recent years, though the risk profile shifted. A deviation in June, following the Iran–Israel conflict, led to increased demand for repatriation support, situational updates and security advice. The total number of clients assisted in the first 11 months of 2025 rose by 10% compared with the same period in 2024, while notification frequency remained relatively stable.

Kidnap and extortion risks intensified in several high-risk countries, and also appeared in states previously considered lower risk. Willis links this to ongoing political, social and economic fragility, particularly in parts of Latin America and West Africa, where organised criminal groups have used such activity to generate income and exert influence.

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest number of notifications for the third consecutive year, accounting for more than 25% of incidents. Nearly half were linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where conflict, disease and criminality persisted. North America followed, while Latin America saw an overall decline. Europe and Asia-Pacific again reported the fewest notifications.

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