By Ebi Kesiena
The administration of President Donald Trump has approved the deployment of 200 United States soldiers to Nigeria to support the country’s fight against terrorism and armed banditry.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the decision followed a request by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for enhanced military cooperation.
President Trump authorised the deployment of American troops to provide combat training to Nigerian forces, focusing on air and infantry operations.
The objective is to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to gather intelligence and carry out coordinated offensives against Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other insurgent groups.
A spokesperson for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) was quoted as saying that terrorist activity in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, remains a major concern for Washington.
“We want to partner with capable and willing partners that are able to address these shared security concerns,” the spokesperson said.
The troops are expected to arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks. Their role will centre on training and providing technical guidance to Nigerian personnel, particularly in coordinating simultaneous air and ground operations.
Major-General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for the Nigerian Armed Forces, clarified that the U.S. personnel will not participate in direct combat missions. Instead, their engagement will be limited to advisory and training responsibilities.
The development follows heightened diplomatic engagement between Abuja and Washington. In late 2025, President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing what his administration described as the genocide of Christians. The designation drew strong reactions and intensified scrutiny of Nigeria’s internal security challenges.
President Tinubu has rejected claims that killings in parts of the country are driven solely by religious persecution, maintaining that many of the violent incidents stem from longstanding conflicts between herders and farmers.
Nevertheless, the Nigerian government has continued to signal its readiness to deepen security cooperation with the United States. Last year, President Tinubu met with U.S. General R.M. Dagvin Anderson in Rome, where both parties agreed to strengthen collaboration in combating extremist threats.
