This article examines Jihadist Networks in the Sahel and Their Connections to East African Groups: Challenges and Opportunities in the 2020s with a focused emphasis on South Africa within the field of Political Science. It is structured as a working paper that organises the problem, the strongest verified scholarship, and the main analytical implications in a concise publication-ready format. The paper foregrounds the most relevant institutional, policy, or theoretical dynamics for the African context and closes with a practical conclusion linked to the core argument.