US warns Nigeria of possible military aid restrictions over child soldiers

The United States has placed Nigeria on its list of countries implicated in the recruitment or use of child soldiers, a designation that could trigger restrictions on some forms of US military support.

Unless President Donald Trump grants a waiver, the measures could affect military training, financing, equipment sales and other defence cooperation from October 1, 2026, according to the US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

Published on October 11, the report examines Nigeria’s record from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. It identifies Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISIS-West Africa) as groups recruiting and using children in Nigeria. Nigeria is one of 14 countries on the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, alongside nations including Russia, Iran, Somalia and South Sudan.

The report also says Nigeria has failed to meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking for 15 consecutive years.

Under the CSPA, countries on the list may face limits on International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defense Articles and some peacekeeping assistance. The law can also prevent the approval of licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment. Waivers and certain exceptions may apply. Ads free project topics

The designation comes as Washington and Abuja continue security cooperation. The report notes that the Trump administration had deployed Navy SEAL Team 6 to work with Nigerian forces on counterterrorism operations in the northeast and formalised a 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.

Concerns over official complicity and victim support

The State Department report found no reported prosecutions of government officials for alleged involvement in trafficking during the period. It said corruption and possible complicity by public officials remained serious concerns, with reports that some law enforcement, military and other government personnel accepted bribes, obstructed investigations or took part in trafficking crimes.

Nigerian authorities investigated 1,341 trafficking cases involving 1,367 suspects. The cases included 589 involving sex trafficking, 301 related to forced labour and 451 that were not further classified. Authorities prosecuted 94 people and secured 97 convictions.

The report recognised that most convicted offenders received prison terms of at least a year. It also noted increased cooperation with foreign governments, including joint investigations and operations with INTERPOL in West Africa and Southeast Asia.

Authorities identified 2,004 potential trafficking victims—893 linked to sex trafficking and 1,111 to forced labour. However, only 675 received government-supported services, down from 2,058 in the previous reporting period.

The report raised concerns about conditions in shelters run by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). It said residents in closed shelters had limited freedom of movement, including restrictions affecting children’s access to school. Some services were also linked to victims’ willingness to assist with law enforcement proceedings. Adult victims who did not enter shelters were not offered alternative support, while the report identified only one NGO shelter dedicated to adult male survivors.

Child recruitment by armed groups

According to the report, Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa recruit, abduct and use children as young as 12. Children are reportedly made to work as cooks, messengers, spies, porters, guards and combatants, and are also used in suicide attacks. The report says some face physical and sexual abuse and forced drug use.

It also describes the abduction and exploitation of women and girls in northern Nigeria, including in forced labour, domestic servitude and sexual slavery. Boko Haram has forced women and girls into marriage, and the report says some girls have been made to carry out suicide attacks as punishment for refusing marriage.

The document further alleges that, in some cases, Nigerian authorities pressured victims of forced marriage to return to Boko Haram members at demobilisation centres in Borno State. It also cites reports of criminal gangs recruiting children for kidnappings, robberies and sex trafficking, while gangs in the northwest exploit people in agricultural and mining work.

Other trafficking concerns

The report criticised gaps in labour protections. It said Nigeria did not prohibit workers from paying recruitment fees, report holding labour recruiters accountable for fraudulent recruitment, or provide labour inspectors with specialised training on child labour and trafficking. It also found that government diplomatic staff had not received anti-trafficking training.

The State Department described cases in which foreign criminal networks allegedly brought people to Nigeria with promises of jobs, confined them in rented properties and forced them to take part in online scams.

It also raised concerns about the recruitment of Nigerians by Russian authorities for the Russia-Ukraine war and alleged that Nigeria’s Ministry of Education had helped promote Russia’s Alabuga Start programme despite warning signs. The report said North Korean nationals working in Nigeria might be in conditions showing indicators of forced labour.

So-called “baby factories”—illegal operations disguised as orphanages, maternity homes or religious institutions—were also identified as part of Nigeria’s trafficking problem, particularly in the south. The report describes cases in which women are held against their will and forced to give birth, with their babies then sold.

Despite its criticisms, the US report noted some government efforts. It said funding for victim services rose from ?128 million to ?233 million, while prevention spending increased from ?58.8 million to ?245 million. The government also helped return 428 Nigerians exploited abroad, obtained restitution for 14 victims through criminal sentences and maintained anti-trafficking task forces in 23 states.

Nigeria is described as a source, transit and destination country for trafficking. It last received a Tier 1 ranking in 2011, and its position has since shifted among Tier 1, Tier 2, and the Tier 2 Watch List.

NAPTIP spokesperson Vincent Adekoye said the agency would publish a response to the report. Presidential adviser on information and strategy Bayo Onanuga did not respond to requests for comment.