The United States has approved a total of $413 million to support counter-insurgency and broader security operations in Nigeria and other West African nations for the 2026 fiscal year.
The approval follows the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law by US President in December 2025, a key piece of legislation that outlines America’s defense priorities and funding for the year.
Although the NDAA does not provide a detailed country-by-country allocation of the funds, the $413 million represents the full operations and maintenance budget requested by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) for its missions and engagements across Africa.
The allocation is part of a much larger $901 billion US defense spending package, underscoring Washington’s continued investment in global security and military readiness.
The spending bill also includes a four percent pay increase for American service members and marks the 65th consecutive year the United States has passed an annual defense authorization act.
US officials say the funding decision reflects growing concern over the deteriorating security situation across West Africa, where militant groups, armed bandits, and transnational criminal networks continue to expand their influence.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, remains at the center of these concerns as it battles a long-running insurgency in the North-East, escalating banditry in the North-West, and ongoing piracy and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea.
Security challenges have also intensified in neighboring countries, with Mali witnessing renewed militant attacks and northern Benin increasingly affected by spillover violence from extremist groups operating in the Sahel region.
In response to these threats, the United States has recently stepped up its security cooperation with Nigeria and other regional partners.
AFRICOM confirmed the recent delivery of military equipment to Nigerian security agencies in Abuja, describing the move as part of a broader effort to strengthen a shared security partnership and improve operational capacity.
The renewed engagement comes after US airstrikes were reportedly carried out on suspected terrorist hideouts in Sokoto State on Christmas Day 2025, an operation said to have been conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Beyond funding allocations, the NDAA introduces several key policy changes aimed at reshaping US engagement with Africa.
These include the creation of a new Assistant Secretary for African Affairs and the establishment of a Bureau of African Affairs within the US State Department to improve coordination of policy across sub-Saharan Africa.
The legislation also mandates a comprehensive review of Russia’s military activities and influence across Africa, a move widely seen as part of Washington’s broader strategic competition on the continent and one that could shape future US policy in the region.