U.S. Approves $346 Million Military Sale to Nigeria Amid Security Concerns

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $346 million sale of weapons to Nigeria to enhance security in the sub-Saharan nation, according to the Pentagon‘s announcement on Wednesday.

This notification is part of a process that requires further approval from Congress, as stated by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which manages defense equipment transfers and provides technical assistance.

Nigeria has requested various military supplies, including munitions, bombs, and rockets, as it faces a resurgence of attacks from Boko Haram, a jihadist group that has been active since 2009. The group seeks to impose its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has intensified violence in Nigeria’s northeast.

In recent months, Boko Haram has targeted military outposts, used bombs on roads, and raided civilian communities, raising alarm about a potential return to the severe insecurity experienced during the height of the Boko Haram crisis.

This conflict has displaced over 2 million people and resulted in the deaths of approximately 35,000 civilians, according to U.N. reports.

In addition to the insurgency in the northeast, Nigeria also contends with significant security threats in its northern and north-central regions, leading to numerous deaths and injuries from violent clashes.

The Pentagon emphasized that this sale would enhance Nigeria’s capability to address current and future threats, particularly operations against terrorist organizations and countering illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. The U.S. noted that the proposed sale would have no negative impact on its defense readiness.

Nigeria has purchased military equipment from the U.S. multiple times in the last decade, with the latest notable transaction being a $997 million sale approved in 2022.