The United States is preparing to withdraw about 200 military personnel from Nigeria, months after deploying them to support the country’s counterterrorism operations against Islamist militant groups.

According to The New York Times, the larger contingent is expected to leave Nigeria by the end of September 2026, although the US plans to retain smaller teams of military trainers and intelligence specialists. The remaining personnel will continue working with their Nigerian counterparts, particularly on training and intelligence sharing.

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American and Nigerian officials reportedly viewed the deployment as productive despite the relatively small number of US personnel involved. The approach relied heavily on intelligence cooperation, training and support for Nigerian security forces rather than maintaining a large American military presence. US officials also considered the arrangement a potential model for future American security operations in Africa.

The planned withdrawal follows a May 2026 operation conducted with US support that resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS in the Lake Chad Basin. US Africa Command commander, Dagvin Anderson, had previously confirmed that the US reduced its military presence in Nigeria following the operation.

Despite the troop reduction, Washington is expected to maintain intelligence cooperation with Nigeria as Nigerian forces continue operations against terrorist groups.