The United States has listed Nigeria under its Child Soldiers Prevention Act, CSPA, a move that could lead to cuts in military aid, arms sales and defence cooperation from October 1, 2026, unless President Donald Trump approves a waiver.
The listing was contained in the US Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons, TIP, Report, which named Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, as armed groups still recruiting, abducting and using children in Nigeria.
The report, released on October 11, reviewed Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
It also flagged issues relating to official corruption, the prosecution of trafficking offences and support for victims.
Nigeria is among 14 countries under scrutiny under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act.
Others on the list include Russia, Iran, Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Under the US law, listed countries risk restrictions on certain security assistance and the commercial licensing of military equipment.
The affected areas include International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defense Articles and certain peacekeeping support.
The report said the restrictions would take effect on October 1, 2026, unless a presidential waiver was granted, an exception applied or assistance was reinstated under the law.
It added that the law also bars licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment to listed governments, although exceptions may be allowed in specific cases.
The development comes at a time when Washington and Abuja are maintaining security cooperation to tackle terrorism and other threats.
The report identified Boko Haram and ISWAP as responsible for recruiting and using children, saying children as young as 12 were forced to cook, perform domestic chores, spy, run errands, man checkpoints and take part in combat.
“Governments identified on the list are subject to restrictions, in the following fiscal year, on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment.
“Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa continue recruiting, abducting, and using—including through force, fraud, and coercion—child soldiers as young as 12 years old as cooks, domestic workers, spies, porters, messengers, bodyguards or guards at checkpoints, ‘morality police,’ armed combatants, and suicide bombers in attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger; these children are subjected to physical and sexual abuse and forced drug use,” the report said.
US blacklists Nigeria, threatens to cut military aid over official corruption, others