US Approves $413M for Counter-Insurgency Operations in Nigeria and West Africa
Story: written by Joseph January 16,2026
The United States has allocated $413 million to support counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria and across West Africa, as part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 18, 2025.
The funding falls under the Operation and Maintenance budget for the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which received the full amount it requested. While the Act does not specify how much is dedicated to each country or mission, it signals increased US military involvement in Nigeria. AFRICOM recently delivered equipment to Nigerian security agencies, weeks after conducting airstrikes on terrorist strongholds in Sokoto State on Christmas Day.
The 2026 NDAA approves a total US defense budget of $901 billion and includes a four percent pay raise for American troops. This marks the 65th consecutive year the United States has passed an annual defense authorization.
The allocation comes amid worsening insecurity in West Africa. Nigeria continues to face insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Other regional threats include intensifying jihadist activity in Mali and spillover violence into northern Benin from the Sahel.
The law also outlines other defense priorities, including $385.7 million for US European Command, $224.9 million for US Southern Command, $77 million for US Forces Korea, $331.4 million for cyberspace operations, and $550 million for cybersecurity. Total operating forces spending under this category approaches $40 billion.
In addition to military funding, the NDAA establishes a new Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the State Department and a Bureau of African Affairs to oversee US foreign policy and assistance across sub-Saharan Africa. The law also mandates a full assessment of Russia’s military activities and bases in Africa, examining their potential impact on US military strategy under AFRICOM, Central Command, and European Command.
