Nigeria has been placed on the United States’ 2026 list of countries where armed forces, security services or government-backed groups are identified as recruiting or using child soldiers.
The designation may trigger restrictions on certain US military assistance, training, financing and sales of military equipment beginning October 1, unless a waiver or exception is granted. Nigeria is one of 14 countries named on the list, which covers the period from April 2025 through March 2026.
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The decision reflects longstanding concerns over the recruitment and exploitation of children in conflict zones, especially by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in north-eastern Nigeria. It does not, however, determine that Nigeria’s military or security services recruit or use child soldiers.
