US to Withdraw 200 Troops from Nigeria by 2026

The United States is set to withdraw about 200 military personnel from Nigeria by the end of September 2026 as part of its counterterrorism efforts against Islamist militant groups. The troops were deployed earlier in 2023 and have reportedly produced useful results.

While most personnel will leave, smaller teams, including military trainers and intelligence specialists, will continue to work with Nigerian forces. This deployment is viewed by US officials as a potential model for future American security operations in Africa, emphasizing limited troop presence combined with training and intelligence cooperation.

The planned withdrawal follows a successful 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 the US Africa Command, indicated that the US had already reduced its military presence in Nigeria after this operation, while Nigerian forces have continued their counterterrorism efforts.