The United States has confirmed the deployment of a small contingent of troops to Nigeria as part of renewed security cooperation aimed at strengthening intelligence gathering and supporting local forces battling extremist groups.
According to Reuters, the deployment is intended to enhance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities rather than engage in direct combat operations. U.S. officials described the move as a targeted support mission designed to assist Nigerian forces confronting Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
The deployment is being coordinated through United States Africa Command, which said the step reflects deepening military collaboration between United States and Nigeria. AFRICOM noted that intelligence sharing and advisory support remain central to Washington’s approach in West Africa, particularly in regions affected by persistent insurgency.
The move comes just weeks after U.S. airstrikes targeted suspected extremist positions in northern Nigeria, operations that officials said were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities. Those strikes were aimed at degrading the operational capacity of jihadist groups responsible for years of attacks on civilians, security forces, and infrastructure.
Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have remained active despite sustained military pressure, exploiting difficult terrain, porous borders, and regional instability. Nigerian forces have repeatedly called for enhanced intelligence and technical support to counter the groups’ evolving tactics.
U.S. officials stressed that the troop presence would be limited in size and scope, focusing on advisory roles and intelligence coordination rather than frontline engagement. They added that the deployment aligns with broader U.S. efforts to prevent extremist groups from gaining territory or using the region as a base for wider operations.
Nigerian authorities have yet to issue a detailed public statement on the deployment, but security analysts say the move underscores Washington’s growing concern about the resilience of insurgent networks in West Africa and the strategic importance of Nigeria in regional counterterrorism efforts.
The development marks another chapter in long-standing U.S.–Nigeria security cooperation, as both countries seek to curb militant violence and stabilize communities affected by more than a decade of insurgency.
