The United States has dispatched a small team of military officers to Nigeria as part of growing security cooperation between the two nations, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, disclosed on Tuesday.
General Anderson revealed the deployment during a media briefing, explaining that the move followed discussions he held with President Bola Tinubu in Rome late last year.
“That meeting has led to increased collaboration between our nations, to include a small U.S. team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States in order to augment what Nigeria has been doing for several years,” Anderson said.
He, however, did not specify the exact number of personnel involved or when the team arrived in Nigeria.
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The deployment marks the latest step in expanding military engagement between Washington and Abuja, particularly in counter-terrorism efforts across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
It comes barely weeks after the United States conducted airstrikes on December 25, 2025, against a group affiliated with the Islamic State operating within Nigeria.
Nigeria has for more than a decade battled insurgency and violent extremism, mainly in the North-East, where Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), continue to pose serious security threats.
The U.S. military support forms part of broader assistance that has included intelligence sharing, reconnaissance missions and the supply of military equipment to Nigerian security forces.
The renewed collaboration follows recent diplomatic tensions between both countries.
Nigeria had come under scrutiny after U.S. President Donald Trump accused the West African nation of failing to adequately protect its Christian population. The allegation led to Nigeria being designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by the U.S. government over claims of religious oppression.
The Nigerian government strongly rejected the accusations, insisting that armed groups operating in the country target citizens indiscriminately, regardless of religious affiliation.
Despite the disagreement, both countries appear to be strengthening military ties in response to Nigeria’s complex security challenges.
Security analysts believe the presence of U.S. military advisers could enhance Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations through improved intelligence gathering, training and technical support.
Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across various regions.
Just last month, armed groups launched coordinated attacks on three churches in Kaduna State in northwestern Nigeria, abducting 168 people in one of the most brazen incidents in recent months.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly sought international support to tackle the growing insecurity, and officials say the latest U.S. assistance will help strengthen ongoing operations.
While details of the new U.S. military team’s mandate remain limited, General Anderson maintained that the deployment is designed to support Nigeria’s existing efforts and not to take over its security responsibilities.
“This is about partnership and capacity building,” he stressed.
Observers say the evolving cooperation reflects shared interests in combating terrorism and stabilising the West African region, which has increasingly become a hotspot for extremist activities.
As both nations continue to navigate diplomatic sensitivities, the latest development signals a pragmatic commitment to joint security objectives in the face of rising threats.
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