The United States has deployed a small special forces team to Nigeria as part of a deepened military partnership aimed at countering terrorism, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has said.
AFRICOM Commander, Gen. Dagvin Anderson, disclosed this during a digital news conference on Tuesday, noting that the deployment followed high-level engagements with President Bola Tinubu.
According to Anderson, discussions he held earlier with President Tinubu in Rome culminated in closer operational coordination, including the approval of U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Nigeria on Christmas Day.
He said both countries agreed on the need for decisive, coordinated action to address terrorism in Nigeria and across the ECOWAS sub-region.
“Our partnership with Nigeria is a great example of a willing and capable partner that requested unique capabilities only the U.S. can provide,” Anderson said.
“We assist with ISR and intelligence fusion, and when we bring those capabilities together, we are far more effective in countering these threats. This has led to increased collaboration, including a small U.S. team already in-country to augment Nigeria’s long-standing efforts.”
The AFRICOM chief did not disclose details of the composition or size of the deployed team, describing it only as a specialised unit providing unique capabilities.
Anderson stressed that cooperation with capable partners like Nigeria remains central to AFRICOM’s counterterrorism strategy.
“My deputy was recently in Nigeria with a high-level U.S. State Department delegation led by Allison Hooker to explore how we can continue to move forward together,” he said.
He warned that West Africa and the Sahel are facing escalating threats from terrorist groups including Daesh, al-Qaida and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), noting increased pressure across the Sahel and spillovers into coastal states.
“We are seeing these groups threaten capitals in the region and expand southwards,” he said.
Anderson added that recent visits to West African countries along the Gulf of Guinea underscored shared regional concerns over the spread of terrorism.
Beyond West Africa, he said AFRICOM continues counterterrorism operations in other parts of the continent, including Somalia, where ISIS has emerged as a significant force alongside al-Shabab.
“ISIS-Somalia fighters in northern Somalia have been frequent targets of AFRICOM airstrikes. Combined with surveillance and logistics support, this has enabled Somali partners to significantly degrade ISIS operations and keep its leadership underground,” he said.
The U.S. Air Force general also announced that AFRICOM will host African Lion 2026, its largest joint military exercise, in Morocco in May.
The exercise will involve 19 African countries, six European nations, and additional forces from the Middle East and Latin America—bringing participation to more than 30 countries.
According to Anderson, the exercise, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, will demonstrate the scale of multilateral security cooperation across Africa and beyond.
