The federal government has taken delivery of a fresh consignment of military equipment from the United States in a renewed effort to tackle insecurity in Nigeria.
The equipment was transported to Nigeria aboard a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales arrangement between Washington and Abuja.
The US Africa Command disclosed the development on Thursday via its official X account, describing the delivery as another sign of the expanding security partnership between the two countries.
The equipment, which arrived over the weekend, is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond to terrorism and other security threats. AFRICOM said the consignment was supplied under a foreign military sales agreement intended to deepen defence cooperation between the United States and Nigeria.
The delivery comes as Nigeria continues to battle terrorist and insurgent groups and seek greater international support for its counter-terrorism operations.
The deployment of a C-17 Globemaster III for the latest delivery highlights the logistical dimension of the partnership, allowing military equipment to be transported directly in support of Nigeria’s defence requirements.
AFRICOM did not disclose details of the equipment delivered or its value.
The relationship between America and Nigeria took a significant turn after President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’
Trump had accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government of condoning killings and threatened to attack Nigeria.
However, the federal government sent a high-powered delegation to Washington and the American contingent also visited Nigeria.
The US consequently sent special forces to the country and both countries carried out targeted operations. But last month, Dagvin Anderson, the AFRICOM commander, announced that the US had pulled back many of its troops in Nigeria following the May operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of the Islamic State (ISIS) group in the Lake Chad Basin.
American and Nigerian officials said the relatively small deployment to the West African nation made significant impacts.
Small teams of trainers and intelligence analysts are, however, expected to remain after the larger contingent leaves by late September.
The report noted that American officials described the deployment of troops in Nigeria as a model for future operations in Africa.
Meanwhile, the Presidency welcomed the latest delivery of military equipment by the US to the Nigerian Air Force, saying it is a demonstration of the security partnership between the two countries.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in a post on his X handle, also sharing the release by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).
‘A United States Air Force C-17 aircraft has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force as part of the partnership agreement between the two countries,’ Onanuga wrote.
US security cooperation with Nigeria
For more than 50 years, the United States and Nigeria have enjoyed a strong security partnership. The US-Nigeria relationship is very crucial in sub-Saharan Africa, given Nigeria’s status as Africa’s most populous country with the largest economy.The United States works closely with Nigeria, both bilaterally and through regional and multilateral fora like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS, and the African Union.
The two countries’ joint efforts are focused on increasing cooperation on maritime and border security, military capacity and counterterrorism efforts against Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa.
The Department of State provides Nigeria with one of the highest International Military Education and Training (IMET) allocations in sub-Saharan Africa, with approximately $5 million obligated from 2019 to 2023.
From 2016 to 2020, $1.8 million was obligated for Nigeria in Foreign Military Financing to support maritime security, military professionalisation, and counterterrorism efforts.
Nigeria is an active member of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) and has benefited from over $8 million worth of training, equipment, and advisory support for counterterrorism efforts between 2019 and 2023.
The United States has $590 million in active government-to-government sales cases with Nigeria under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. Significant sales include the 2017 sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft worth $497 million to support Nigerian military operations against Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa.
The case included special training on International Humanitarian Law, including an Air-to-Ground Integration (AGI) programme designed to provide institutional and technical training to the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in order to mitigate the risk of civilian harm incidents.
In August 2025, Nigeria delivered the first payment for 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters worth $997 million. The FMS case includes an additional $25 million of funding allocated for Nigeria’s AGI programme, which continues to train the AFN on developing targeting processes that are legally compliant with International Humanitarian Law.
From 2018 to 2022, the United States also authorised the permanent export of over $53 million in defense articles to Nigeria via the Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) process. The top three categories of defense exports to Nigeria were Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance Equipment; Firearms and Related Articles and Guns and Armament.
Building on the AGI programme, the Department of State has obligated $941,000 in Peacekeeping Operations Funds (PKO) since 2021 for advisory services to the AFN to enhance accountability and justice by developing systems and practices on civilian harm mitigation.
In 2011 and 2015 Nigeria received $15 million in defense articles granted under the Excess Defense Articles programme, to include 24 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and two Hamilton-class US Coast Guard high endurance cutters – the USCGC Chase and USCGC Gallatin – which entered service in the Nigerian Navy as Thunder and Okpabana in 2011 and 2014, respectively.
In 2016, the United States and Nigeria signed an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement to exchange common types of support, including food, fuel, transportation, ammunition, and equipment.
Since 2000, the United States has had a Status of Forces Agreement with Nigeria establishing the legal framework under which US military personnel may operate when present in Nigeria.
Since 1993, the United States has provided $2.14 million to support conventional weapons destruction and humanitarian mine action programs in Nigeria. In March 2017, the Department of Defense donated demining and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment to Nigeria and provides mine action training for Nigeria’s EOD teams at the Nigerian School of Military Engineering.
According to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, the full extent of contamination from landmines and other explosive remnants of war is not known, but incidents have been reported in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
Nigeria participates in multiple bilateral and multilateral military exercises with the United States, including African Lion, Flintlock, and Obangame Express.
Equipment delivered 1 year after US notice of weapons sale
Although details of the military consignment could not be immediately ascertained, Daily Trust reports that the delivery is coming one year after the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, in a letter dated August 13, 2025, wrote to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, through its Director, Michael F. Miller, informing the House of its intention to sell defence articles and services estimated to cost $346 million to Nigerian Government.
Major Defence Equipment (MDE) to supply Nigeria includes: 1,002 MK-82 general purpose 500 lb bombs; 1,002 MXU-650 air foil groups (AFGs) for 500 lb
Paveway II GBU-12; 515 MXU-1006 AFGs for 250 lb Paveway II GBU-58; 1,517 MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control groups for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58; 1,002 FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes; 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II all-up-rounds (each consisting of one WGU-59/B guidance section, high-explosive warhead, and MK66-4 rocket motor).
However, this paper could not establish whether the equipment delivered is the same as the items listed in the letter.
According to the US Government document, non-MDE items will include: FMU-139 joint programmable fuzes; bomb components, impulse cartridges, and high-explosive and practice rockets; integration support and test equipment; US Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support; personnel services; and other related elements of logistical and programme support.
According to the letter, this proposed sale would support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the US by improving the security of a strategic partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It stated further that the proposed sale will improve Nigeria’s capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organisations and to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. The proposed sale of this equipment will not alter the basic military balance in the region, the letter added.
‘The principal contractors will be RTX Missiles and Defence, located in Tucson, AZ; Lockheed Martin Corporation, located in Archibald, PA; and BAE Systems, located in Hudson, NH. At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
‘Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional US Government or contractor representatives to Nigeria. There will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale,’ it stated.
Nigeria’s arms suppliers
Aside from the US, Nigeria has maintained strategic partnerships with several countries with regard to the acquisition of military equipment. Nigeria partners with Turkey to deepen cooperation on joint production, technology transfer and local manufacturing of defense systems.
China is a major supplier of various military platforms, including combat drones (such as CH-4 UAVs) and armored vehicles to Nigeria; South Korea supplies naval vessels and defense technology; Russia historically provides helicopters, transport aircraft, and associated maintenance or hardware support, while South Africa supplies armored personnel carriers and specialised tactical equipment.
Pakistan also supplied aircraft, drones, and armored vehicles to Nigeria. The deal included the delivery of 30 K-8 trainer/attack aircraft, 40 Shahpar-2 drones, 200 MR-10 drones, and 230 ASV Mohafiz-IV armored vehicles, with a total estimated value of $230 million in August 2025.
In December 2025, Nigeria acquired 24 M-346FA fighter aircraft from Italy in a deal that represents the largest single purchase of military jets by any country in West Africa. The government also imported arms and ammunition, parts and accessories from the Netherlands in 2023.
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia entered into a new five-year defence partnership aimed at expanding military cooperation between the two countries to cover strategic collaboration across security, military training, intelligence sharing, defence production, and joint operations for sustainable security development.
In October 2024, the United Kingdom donated technical, non-lethal military equipment worth £450,000 to the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Nigeria maintains cooperation with France to enhance bilateral military collaboration through strategic dialogue, joint training, intelligence sharing, capacity building and other areas of mutual interest.
More US military equipment shows growing Nigeria ties – Gen. Mohammed
Major General Umar I. Mohammed (retd) described the latest supply of military equipment from the United States to Nigeria as an indication of a growing military relationship between both countries.
Mohammed said the development was significant, particularly because the US had previously been reluctant to support Nigeria with military equipment.
‘It’s actually an indication of a growing US-Nigeria relationship, especially militarily. So, it’s an indication that we’re getting closer to one another in terms of the military. One of the key problems we had before is the fact that the US was actually reluctant to support us with equipment. So, I think it’s very positive that they are giving us equipment,’ he said.
However, he noted that the increased supply of military equipment should not be interpreted as a direct solution to the country’s worsening insecurity.
According to him, the emergence or escalation of security threats is not necessarily linked to the quantity of military equipment available to the country.
‘You see, the question is that there is what is called a threat analysis. When you say threat analysis, the threat is not in relation to the equipment you have. There are so many things that spark a crisis,’ he said.
Mohammed said additional equipment would instead improve the capacity of the military to respond when threats emerge.
‘If you have more equipment, that means you are being made more capable of dealing with the threat when it emerges. The emergence of a threat, people coming out, people starting to attack, has no relationship with an increase in the equipment you have. It just means that if you have more equipment and if they come out, it gives you more power, more capacity to be able to handle them better than when you have less equipment,’ he added.
‘Supply won’t end insurgency immediately’
On how the latest US military assistance could help address insecurity, Mohammed said the impact would depend largely on the type of equipment supplied.
He said he had not seen the details of the equipment provided and would therefore be unable to assess its likely operational impact fully.
‘Well, you see, up to now, I don’t have the details of what they have given to Nigeria. So, when I get the details, I should be able to know,’ he said.
Mohammed, however, said Nigeria currently enjoyed air superiority over bandits and insurgents because the groups did not possess conventional air forces.
He said the armed groups possessed only limited drone capabilities, which he described as inferior in capacity and endurance to those available to Nigeria.
According to him, additional US air support would further strengthen Nigeria’s capability and improve its air dominance.
‘So, if we receive more air support from the US, that means we are going to be stronger, more lethal than we were before receiving this equipment,’ he added.
Mohammed, however, expressed a preference for the provision of armed helicopters, which he said would be particularly useful in the type of counter-insurgency operations being conducted in the country.
‘I would have been very happy if I saw armed helicopters. Because armed helicopters are what we need in this kind of fighting that we are involved in,’ he said.
Mohammed, however, cautioned against expecting the partnership or additional military equipment to immediately end the country’s long-running insurgency.
‘I want you to understand that this insurgency has been going on for 17 years. So, it doesn’t mean that within one day the whole problem will be solved,’ he said.
According to him, counter-insurgency operations are particularly difficult because insurgents do not always operate as conventional forces.
‘They melt, go back to the community and melt inside the community as if they are normal human beings,’ he said.
He therefore said the fight against insurgency required sustained operations and should not be judged solely by the immediate availability of additional military equipment.
Commenting on the deployment of US military personnel to Nigeria earlier this year, Mohammed said the presence of American personnel had contributed to intelligence gathering and operational support, even though the broader security situation remained challenging.
He said the deployment coincided with the killing of Abu Al-Masoudi and the discovery of sophisticated equipment allegedly held by insurgents.
‘I’m sure you are aware that Abu Al-Masoudi was killed when they were there. Not only was he killed, they actually revealed that they were able to capture so much equipment that they never thought the insurgents in Nigeria had such sophisticated equipment in their possession,’ he said.
Mohammed also said the US personnel brought superior equipment and shared intelligence with their Nigerian counterparts.
‘During that time, they have actually come with so much superior equipment. But I don’t know whether they left them or they have taken them. They have also shared with us so much intelligence during that time,’ he said.