The United States has formally acknowledged the presence of its military personnel in Nigeria, confirming that a small contingent of U.S. troops has been deployed to support the country’s fight against terrorism amid worsening security challenges in West Africa.
The confirmation was made by General Dagvin R. M. Anderson, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), who disclosed that the deployment followed high-level discussions between Washington and Abuja.
According to Anderson, the decision was reached after a meeting with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in Rome late last year, during which both governments agreed that enhanced cooperation was necessary to confront the growing threat posed by extremist groups across the region.
“This has led to increased collaboration between our two nations, including the deployment of a small U.S. team that brings unique capabilities from the United States to augment Nigeria’s long-standing counter-terrorism efforts,” Anderson told journalists during a press briefing on Tuesday.
While the exact date of the team’s arrival in Nigeria was not disclosed, military sources indicated that the personnel are expected to provide specialised support in areas such as intelligence, strategic planning and operational coordination, rather than engage in direct combat.
The deployment comes weeks after U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on December 25 against an Islamic State-linked militant group operating in West Africa, signalling a more assertive American posture in the region’s counter-terrorism campaign.
Nigeria has battled insurgency and extremist violence for over a decade, particularly in its northern regions, prompting increased international cooperation aimed at restoring stability and preventing the spread of terrorism across West Africa.