US Places Nigeria On Child Soldiers Blacklist, Warns Of Possible Military Aid Restrictions

The United States has placed Nigeria on its Child Soldiers Prevention Act blacklist, warning that the designation could restrict military training, weapons sales, foreign military financing and other forms of defence assistance from October 1, 2026, unless President Donald Trump grants a waiver.

 

The designation was contained in the US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, published on October 11, which cited the continued recruitment and use of children by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, in Nigeria.

 

The report covers the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, and listed Nigeria among 14 countries accused of recruiting or using child soldiers, alongside countries including Russia, Iran, South Sudan and Somalia.

 

According to the report, restrictions under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act could affect International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defence Articles, certain peacekeeping assistance and licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment, subject to applicable exceptions or a presidential waiver.

 

The development comes amid ongoing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja, including joint counterterrorism operations and the bilateral 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.

 

The report also said Nigeria had failed to meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking for the 15th consecutive year.

 

It raised concerns about the prosecution of officials allegedly involved in trafficking, stating that the government had not reported investigations, prosecutions or convictions of government employees allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes.

 

The report added that corruption and official complicity remained significant concerns, citing allegations that some law enforcement, military and other government officials committed trafficking offences, accepted bribes or obstructed investigations.

 

On enforcement, the report said Nigerian authorities investigated 1,341 trafficking cases involving 1,367 suspects. The cases comprised 589 sex trafficking investigations, 301 forced labour cases and 451 cases that were not further specified.

 

Of the cases, 94 were prosecuted, while 97 traffickers were convicted.

 

Although 2,004 people were identified as trafficking victims during the reporting period, only 675 received government-supported assistance, compared with 2,058 in the previous period.

 

The report also criticised conditions in shelters operated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, raising concerns about restrictions on victims’ freedom of movement and access to education for children.

 

It further noted that some protection services were tied to victims’ willingness to cooperate with law enforcement, while adult victims who declined shelter were not provided with alternative services.

 

On child recruitment, the report accused Boko Haram and ISWAP of recruiting, abducting and using children as young as 12 as cooks, domestic workers, spies, porters, messengers, guards, combatants and suicide bombers.

 

It said the children were subjected to physical and sexual abuse, as well as forced drug use, while women and girls abducted by the groups were exploited through forced labour, forced marriage and sexual slavery.

 

The report also raised concerns about child exploitation by criminal gangs, including the recruitment of children for kidnappings, robberies and other forced criminal activities.

 

Beyond the child soldier allegations, the US report highlighted concerns about labour trafficking, fraudulent recruitment, baby factories and the exploitation of foreign nationals in organised online scams in Nigeria.

 

It also alleged that Russian authorities fraudulently recruited Nigerians to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war and raised concerns about Nigeria’s Ministry of Education promoting Russia’s Alabuga Start programme despite what it described as warning signs.

 

Despite the concerns, the report acknowledged some efforts by the Nigerian government, including increased funding for victim services and prevention programmes, the repatriation of 428 Nigerians exploited abroad, restitution for 14 victims and the maintenance of anti-trafficking task forces in 23 states.

 

Nigeria’s anti-trafficking ranking has fluctuated between Tier 1, Tier 2 and the Tier 2 Watch List over the years. The country last attained Tier 1 status in 2011.