The United States has listed Nigeria among 14 countries accused of recruiting or using child soldiers, a move that could lead to restrictions on certain forms of US military assistance to the country.
The designation was contained in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which covers the period between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
According to the report, Nigeria’s inclusion could trigger restrictions under the US Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) on international military education and training, foreign military financing, excess defence articles, peacekeeping operations and licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment, unless a presidential waiver is granted.
Other countries named in the report include Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen.
Beyond the child soldier allegations, the report retained Nigeria on Tier 2 for human trafficking, indicating that the country does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking but is making significant efforts to comply.
However, the US raised concerns over corruption and alleged complicity of government officials in human trafficking offences, faulting Nigerian authorities for failing to report investigations, prosecutions or convictions involving public employees accused of involvement in such crimes.
“The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes or provide details or other actions taken against complicit officials from previous years,” the report stated.
The assessment also highlighted a decline in the number of trafficking victims who received assistance, from 2,058 in the previous year to 675 in 2025.
It further identified gaps in support services, particularly for male victims, noting that only one dedicated non-governmental organisation shelter for adult male trafficking victims operated during the reporting period.
The report also criticised restrictions on residents’ freedom of movement in shelters operated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
It added that access to certain protection services depended on victims’ cooperation with law enforcement proceedings, raising concerns about the availability of assistance to those unable or unwilling to participate in such processes.
Despite the concerns, the US acknowledged that Nigeria made increased efforts to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases and secure convictions compared with the previous reporting period.
The designation under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act could nevertheless affect aspects of Nigeria’s military cooperation with the United States, although the extent of any restrictions would depend on the application of the law and whether a presidential waiver is granted
