United States to withdraw 200 troops from Nigeria

The United States is preparing to withdraw approximately 200 military personnel from Nigeria by late September 2026. The troops were deployed earlier this year to support counterterrorism efforts against Islamist militant groups.

Officials from both nations indicated that the deployment achieved significant results despite its small scale. The mission included an operation in May that resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS in the Lake Chad Basin. Dagvin Anderson, commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), noted that this operation significantly degraded ISIS leadership in the region.

While the larger contingent is set to depart, the United States intends to maintain a presence through small teams of military trainers and intelligence analysts. US officials have described this deployment model—relying on limited troop numbers, intelligence sharing, and local cooperation—as a potential blueprint for future security operations across Africa.