In an effort to improve security cooperation between the two nations, US Marines have started training Nigerian troops in combat casualty care, unmanned aircraft systems, and other military skills.
The training took place at an operating area in Bauchi State as part of a broader US-Nigeria security cooperation mission aimed at improving military capabilities, operational readiness and long-term partner capacity.
The United States Africa Command(AFRICOM) disclosed this in a report released on Monday.
According to the command, the training covered Combat Lifesaver and Tactical Combat Casualty Care, weapons familiarisation, camouflage, water treatment and testing, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics, and unmanned aircraft systems.
“U.S. and Nigerian forces are conducting a series of training events at Operating Location Bauchi, Nigeria, aimed at sharing military expertise, strengthening partner capacity and building relationships between service members from both nations.
It noted that the training opportunities were developed using the expertise of U.S. personnel, focusing on areas identified as beneficial by their Nigerian counterparts.
According to Capt. Gabriel Feingold, the operations officer at Operating Location Bauchi and a logistics officer with the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, U.S. forces presented Nigerian leadership with a menu of training options from which they selected key priorities.
The report highlighted that personnel of the Nigerian military showed particular interest in unmanned aircraft systems. Sgt. Mark Murphy, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, led approximately ten members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment through that module.
According to the US assessment, the joint exercises allowed American and Nigerian military personnel to build stronger relationships and improve interoperability, extending beyond technical and operational skills.
Backstory…
The latest move to expand U.S. military training for Nigerian troops comes amid a significant deepening of the Nigeria-U.S. security partnership over the past several months.
In February 2026, the United States deployed troops to Nigeria to train and advise Nigerian forces fighting terrorist groups, following a Nigerian request for additional training, technical assistance and intelligence support.
The cooperation has since expanded beyond capacity building, with Nigerian and U.S. forces coordinating operations against ISIS-linked militants.
The United States has also provided military supplies to Nigerian forces and participated in joint kinetic operations against terrorist targets. In May 2026, U.S. Africa Command confirmed that American and Nigerian forces carried out coordinated strikes against ISIS in Nigeria.
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