The United States will deploy 200 troops to Nigeria to train and provide technical support to the country’s armed forces as they intensify efforts against jihadist groups, officials from both nations confirmed on Tuesday.
Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, said the American troops would assist with training and technical guidance. “We are getting US troops to assist in training and technical support,” Uba told AFP.
The deployment, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, will bolster a small US team already operating in Nigeria to support air strike targeting. The additional personnel, expected to arrive in the coming weeks, will help Nigerian forces coordinate complex operations involving simultaneous air and ground assaults.
A spokesperson for the US Africa Command confirmed the planned deployment, noting that the troops would not participate in direct combat missions. Uba also stressed that “US troops aren’t going to be involved in direct combat or operations,” adding that Nigeria formally requested the expanded assistance.
The move comes amid heightened diplomatic engagement between Washington and Abuja over security challenges in Nigeria. US President Donald Trump has previously described the violence in Nigeria as “persecution” and “genocide” against Christians, drawing criticism from Nigerian authorities and independent analysts.
While some attacks have targeted Christian communities, officials and researchers note that Muslims have also suffered heavy casualties in the violence. Massad Boulos, a senior US adviser on Arab and African affairs, stated last year that Boko Haram and Islamic State fighters “are killing more Muslims than Christians.”
The Nigerian government has rejected allegations of systemic Christian persecution, arguing that the insecurity stems from broader governance and security challenges rather than religious targeting. Analysts similarly attribute much of the violence to jihadist insurgency, criminal banditry, and competition over scarce resources.
Despite diplomatic tensions, both countries have strengthened military cooperation. In December, US forces supported Nigerian operations with targeted strikes against militants in Sokoto State.
Going forward, the US military is expected to provide intelligence support for Nigerian air strikes and expedite arms procurement. The new troop deployment marks a significant expansion of that partnership.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, continues to battle a protracted jihadist insurgency in its northeast. In the northwest, armed gangs known as bandits carry out mass kidnappings and village raids, while clashes between predominantly Christian farmers and Muslim Fulani herders persist in parts of central Nigeria, largely driven by disputes over land and dwindling resources.
