Pentagon to Withdraw 200 Troops from Nigeria by 2026

The Pentagon is set to withdraw roughly 200 troops from Nigeria by late September 2026, as reported by The New York Times on August 27. This decision follows a deployment that US and Nigerian officials described as yielding results beyond expectations.

While the main troop contingent will leave, small teams of trainers and intelligence analysts will continue to operate in Nigeria. Dagvin Anderson, commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), noted that many US troops had already been withdrawn after a May 2026 operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a significant figure in ISIS.

Anderson confirmed that Nigeria has been proactive in combating terrorism since that operation and that the US will sustain its intelligence partnership with Nigeria despite the troop reduction. This withdrawal follows recent US-Nigeria talks focused on protecting Christian communities in Nigeria's Middle Belt, a response to Nigeria's designation as a country of particular concern regarding allegations of Christian genocide.