The United States has authorised $413 million for counter-insurgency and broader security operations in Nigeria and other West African countries, marking a significant boost to Washington’s military engagement in the region under its 2026 defence budget.
The funding forms part of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) allocation and is intended to support operations, logistics and security cooperation as regional governments confront worsening threats from insurgent groups, armed banditry and maritime crime. While the legislation does not spell out how the funds will be distributed country by country, the amount represents the entire sum requested by AFRICOM for its Africa operations and maintenance activities.
The approval followed the signing of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) into law in December 2025, a sweeping defence package that authorises $901 billion in total US military spending for the 2026 fiscal year and provides a four per cent pay rise for American service members.
The development comes as insecurity persists across Nigeria and the wider West African region, with Nigeria battling a long-running insurgency in the North-East, escalating bandit attacks in the North-West and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Other parts of the region have also seen renewed violence, including militant activity in Mali and cross-border attacks affecting northern Benin.
Amid the funding approval, the United States has stepped up direct security engagement with Nigeria. AFRICOM confirmed the recent delivery of military equipment to Nigerian security agencies in Abuja, describing the move as part of a broader security partnership between both countries.
“This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasises our shared security partnership,” the command said.
The latest measures underscore a deeper US security footprint in West Africa as Washington seeks to strengthen regional capacity, improve coordination with local forces and counter the growing influence of extremist groups across the Sahel and coastal states.
