US places Nigeria among countries allowing recruitment of child soldiers

The United States has placed Nigeria on its 2026 list of countries whose governments are identified as having armed forces, security forces or government-supported militias that recruit or use child soldiers, exposing the country to restrictions on certain US military assistance and equipment sales.

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The designation, contained in the US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, means Nigeria could face restrictions on specific security assistance and commercial licences for military equipment from 1 October, unless the restrictions are waived or an applicable exception is granted by US President Donald Trump.

Nigeria is among 14 countries included on the 2026 Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, alongside Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen.

Under Section 402 of the CSPA, the US government identifies foreign governments whose armed forces, police, other security forces or government-supported armed groups allegedly recruit or use child soldiers. The latest determinations cover 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

The law prohibits certain forms of assistance to listed governments, including International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing and Excess Defence Articles. It also restricts the issuance of licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment, subject to applicable exceptions and presidential waivers.

The restrictions could have implications for Nigeria’s military cooperation with Washington, particularly in areas involving training, financing and the acquisition of US military equipment.

The State Department said its determination draws on multiple sources, including observations by US government personnel, United Nations agencies, international organisations, civil society groups and local and international media reports.

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Under the CSPA, a child soldier includes anyone under 18 who is compulsorily recruited into government armed forces or security forces, as well as children recruited or used in hostilities by armed forces distinct from a state’s military.

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The definition also covers children serving in support roles, including as cooks, porters, messengers, medics, guards or victims of sexual exploitation.

Nigeria’s inclusion on the list comes amid longstanding concerns about the recruitment and exploitation of children in the country’s conflict zones, particularly in the North-east, where Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have abducted and recruited children for combat and support roles.

The designation does not, however, establish that the Nigerian military or security services recruit or use child soldiers.

The listing places pressure on the Nigerian government to address concerns over child recruitment and demonstrate compliance with international standards on the protection of children in armed conflict.