The United States military is ramping up materiel deliveries and intelligence sharing with Nigeria as part of a broader push to help African partners combat Islamic State-linked militants.
Lieutenant General John Brennan, deputy commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed this in an interview in Abuja last week. He said the Pentagon is also maintaining communication with militaries in junta-led Sahel countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Brennan stated that under the Trump administration, the US has become “more aggressive” in pursuing ISIS threats across the continent. “From Somalia to Nigeria, the problem set is connected. So we’re trying to take it apart and then provide partners with the information they need,” he said.
The cooperation follows US airstrikes on ISIS-linked targets in Nigeria’s Sokoto state on Christmas Day 2025. Brennan said future support will focus on intelligence sharing to aid Nigerian air strikes in the northwest and northeast, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remain active.
“It’s been about more enabling partners and then providing them equipment and capabilities with less restrictions so that they can be more successful,” he added.
The increased collaboration comes amid diplomatic tensions over US claims of mass killing of Christians in Nigeria—a framing rejected by Abuja and independent analysts. Brennan clarified that US intelligence support would not be limited to protecting Christians.
Regarding the Sahel, Brennan confirmed the US still shares intelligence with military partners in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, despite strained diplomatic relations. He also stated that the US is not seeking to replace its lost bases in Niger after being expelled by the junta.
“We’re not in the market to create a drone base anywhere. We are much more focused on getting capability to the right place at the right time and then leaving,” he said.
The inaugural US-Nigeria Joint Working Group meeting held in Abuja last week aimed to strengthen security ties, though political sensitivities around religious violence remained evident during discussions.
