The commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, has confirmed that the United States military soldiers have been deployed to Nigeria as part of expanded cooperation between the US and Nigerian governments to tackle terrorism and related security threats in the West African nation.
The move comes about a week after Nigeria signed a bilateral security pact with Türkiye, and shortly after African leaders vowed to eliminate terrorism across the continent.
Anderson, speaking with Reuters on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, said the deployment followed an agreement between Nigeria and the United States to strengthen military cooperation against terrorism.
Anderson described the soldiers sent to Nigeria as a small contingent with unique capabilities provided by the United States, adding, “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States.”
According to the US officials, the deployed team focuses heavily on intelligence gathering and support to Nigerian forces in their fight against terrorist-affiliated groups.
General Christopher Musa, Nigerian Defence Minister, confirmed that a US team is operating in the country, declining to provide further specifics.
For decades, Nigeria has been under attack from extremist groups including Boko Haram, ISWAP/ISIS, and Lakurawa, which security analysts say are driven by radical ideologies and seek to undermine the country’s constitutional order.
