United States is preparing to withdraw about 200 troops from Nigeria by the end of September after months of joint counterterrorism operations with Nigerian security forces, the New York Times has reported.
According to the report published on Thursday, Aug. 27, the troops were deployed earlier in 2026 to support Nigeria’s fight against Islamist militant groups.
The deployment involved intelligence-sharing, special forces training and counterterrorism operations targeting extremist groups operating in parts of the country.
American and Nigerian officials were quoted as saying that the relatively small deployment had produced significant results.
However, the report said small teams of U.S. military trainers and intelligence analysts were expected to remain in Nigeria after the larger contingent withdraws.
The New York Times, citing U.S. military officials, reported that the withdrawal of the main contingent was expected to be completed by late September.
American officials reportedly described the deployment as a potential model for future U.S. military operations in Africa, arguing that a relatively small force could achieve significant results through close cooperation with local security forces.
One of the major operations during the deployment was a joint U.S.-Nigerian raid in May, which reportedly led to the killing of Abu Bilal al-Minuki, described as a top Islamic State figure.
The troops were deployed to northeastern Nigeria in February 2026 following concerns expressed by U.S. President Donald Trump over terrorist violence in the country.
Last month, the Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Gen. Dagvin Anderson, announced that the U.S. had already withdrawn a significant number of its troops from Nigeria following the May operation.
Anderson said the operation, which targeted Abu Bilal al-Minuki in the Lake Chad Basin, had significantly degraded the leadership of the Islamic State in Nigeria and beyond.
Despite the reported successes, militant attacks have continued in several parts of Nigeria, with armed groups carrying out deadly attacks in recent weeks.
The planned withdrawal is expected to mark the end of the larger U.S. military deployment, while a smaller number of personnel are expected to continue supporting intelligence and training activities in the country.
