The United States is set to deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to provide training and technical assistance to the country’s armed forces, with officials from both nations emphasizing that the personnel will not engage in direct combat operations.
The deployment, confirmed on Tuesday by Nigerian and U.S. authorities, represents an expansion of military collaboration between Washington and Abuja as Nigeria continues its fight against insurgent and terrorist groups.
“We are getting U.S. troops to assist in training and technical support,” said Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, speaking to AFP.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the additional 200 troops will supplement a small U.S. team already stationed in Nigeria that assists with airstrike targeting. The reinforcements are expected to arrive in the coming weeks and will focus on enhancing operational coordination among Nigerian forces.
The U.S. personnel will provide training and technical guidance, helping Nigerian forces better coordinate operations involving simultaneous air and ground actions, the report added.
Despite the expansion, Nigerian officials stressed that the American troops will not take part in frontline combat. “U.S. troops aren’t going to be involved in direct combat or operations,” Uba told the Journal, noting that their role is strictly advisory. He also stated that Nigeria requested the additional support to improve the effectiveness of its security operations against extremist groups.
Nigeria has battled insurgency for over a decade, particularly in the North-East, where Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have carried out attacks on civilians and military targets, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.
The deployment comes amid heightened U.S. scrutiny of insecurity in Nigeria. Former President Donald Trump had previously described the violence as “persecution” and “genocide” against Christians—a claim Nigerian authorities reject, stressing the crisis is driven by terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts rather than religious targeting.
The arrival of additional U.S. troops reflects deeper security cooperation between the two nations, particularly in areas such as intelligence gathering, air-ground coordination, and precision targeting. Officials have stressed that the U.S. presence will remain advisory to strengthen Nigeria’s counterterrorism capacity without involving American personnel in combat roles.
Earlier reports indicated that Nigeria and the United States agreed to intensify military cooperation amid growing concerns over terrorist threats in West Africa, leading to the deployment of a small U.S. team. General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), confirmed that both countries recognized the need for closer collaboration to address evolving security challenges in the region.
This agreement followed U.S. airstrikes in December targeting IS-affiliated groups in Nigeria, with Trump warning that further action could follow. Speaking at a media briefing, General Anderson said the discussions between Washington and Abuja culminated in the deployment of U.S. personnel to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations, bringing unique capabilities to bolster the country’s efforts.