Around 100 United States troops have arrived in Nigeria to support the country’s armed forces with training and intelligence cooperation, Nigerian military officials confirmed on Monday.
The deployment follows a formal request from Abuja for assistance in strengthening military capacity, particularly in intelligence-sharing and technical support. Nigerian authorities say the American personnel will serve strictly in an advisory and training role.
Officials previously clarified that the U.S. troops will not participate in combat operations. Operational control will remain fully with Nigerian commanders.
The development marks a renewed phase in defense cooperation between the two countries. Relations had faced strain in the past after former U.S. President Donald Trump alleged that Nigeria was failing to protect Christians from genocide — a claim strongly rejected by Nigerian authorities. Security analysts have widely described Nigeria’s violence as complex and driven by multiple factors beyond religion.
In December, U.S. forces carried out airstrikes targeting fighters linked to the Islamic State group in northwestern Nigeria. In January, following meetings in Abuja, the head of U.S. Africa Command confirmed that a small number of American military officers were already in the country, focused primarily on intelligence collaboration.
Nigeria continues to face overlapping security threats. These include extremist movements such as Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, as well as armed criminal networks involved in kidnapping for ransom and illegal mining.
The security landscape has also been affected by spillover from the wider Sahel region. The Sahel-based militant coalition Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin claimed its first attack inside Nigeria last year, highlighting concerns about cross-border militant activity.
Several thousand people have been killed in violence linked to armed groups in recent years. Analysts argue that despite ongoing military operations, civilian protection remains a significant challenge.
While some attacks have targeted Christian communities, researchers and local observers note that many of the victims are Muslims in northern Nigeria, where most of the violence occurs.