The United States plans to spend about ₦587 billion ($413.046m) on counter-insurgency and security operations in Nigeria and other African countries in 2026, amid worsening security conditions across West Africa.
The allocation is included in the US National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, obtained by Punch on Thursday. The funds were approved under Title XLIII, Operation and Maintenance.
The security allocation is for the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), which requested $413.046m for its operations and received the full amount authorised under the Act.
However, the NDAA did not provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds would be spent across African countries.
The budget comes against the backdrop of recent US-backed counter-terrorism actions, including Christmas Day strikes on terrorist hideouts in Sokoto State, carried out during the administration of Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, AFRICOM delivered a consignment of military equipment to Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s counterinsurgency operations.
The development underscores growing US involvement in regional security as African states confront rising threats from insurgency, banditry and violent extremism.
The $413m allocation comes at a time when West Africa continues to face severe security challenges.
In Nigeria, insurgency persists in the North-East, while banditry remains rampant in the North-West. In addition, piracy and maritime crimes continue to threaten stability in the Gulf of Guinea.
Elsewhere, Mali remains under sustained attacks by jihadist groups, while northern Benin has witnessed a spillover of violence from the Sahel region.
The NDAA 2026 is a wide-ranging legislation that outlines US defence policy priorities and authorises $901 billion in annual military spending, including a 4 per cent pay rise for US troops.
The Act was signed into law by President Trump on December 18, 2025, marking the 65th consecutive annual defence authorisation by the United States.
Other commands and activities listed under the operation and maintenance category of the NDAA include the United States European Command with a $385.744m budget, United States Southern Command with $224.971m, US Forces Korea with a $77.049m allocation, Cyberspace Activities (Cyberspace Operations), $331.467m and Cyberspace Activities (Cybersecurity), $550.089m.
The subtotal for operating forces under operation and maintenance in the Act stands at $39.999b.
The Act also provides for the establishment of an Assistant Secretary for African Affairs within the US Department of State.
According to the NDAA, the office will oversee matters relating to sub-Saharan Africa and coordinate the implementation of US foreign policy in the region.
In addition, the law establishes a Bureau of African Affairs, to be headed by the Assistant Secretary, with responsibility for managing US foreign policy implementation and assistance programmes across sub-Saharan Africa.
The Act partly reads, “(5) BUREAU OF AFRICAN AFFAIRS. (A) ESTABLISHMENT: There shall be in the Department of State a Bureau of African Affairs, which shall perform such functions related to implementation of United States foreign policy and assistance to sub-Saharan Africa as the Under Secretary for Political Affairs may prescribe.”
“(B) HEAD: The Assistant Secretary for African Affairs shall be the head of the Bureau of African Affairs.
“(9) ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR AFRICAN AFFAIRS: (A) ESTABLISHMENT. There shall be in the Department of State an Assistant Secretary for African Affairs who shall be responsible to the Secretary of State, acting through the Under Secretary for Political Affairs, for “(i) matters relating to sub-Saharan Africa; and “(ii) such other related duties as the Secretary may from time to time designate.
“(B) Responsibilities: In addition to the responsibilities described under subparagraph (A), the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs shall maintain continuous observation and coordination of all matters pertaining to implementation of United States foreign policy in sub-Saharan Africa.”
The Act further mandates assessments of Russia’s military strategy, objectives and force posture affecting African countries.
This includes a review of Russia’s overseas military basing, logistics capabilities and infrastructure used to project power on the continent, as well as the implications for US contingency plans under AFRICOM, US Central Command and US European Command.
“An assessment of the military strategy objectives and force posture of Russia that affect countries in Africa; A description of Russia’s overseas military basing, military logistics capabilities, and infrastructure to project power.
“An analysis of the impact of such an action on the ability of the Armed Forces to execute contingency plans of the Department of Defence, including those in the area of responsibility of United States European Command or in support of operations and crisis response in the areas of responsibility of United States Central Command and United States Africa Command.
“The reduction of the risk of executing contingency plans of the Department of Defence, including contingency plans conducted by United States Central Command and United States Africa Command,” the Act stated.