The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has identified West Africa and the broader Sahel region as key battlegrounds in the global fight against terrorism, warning that extremist groups are increasingly shifting operations to parts of Africa.
The position was outlined in the newly released 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy, which described several African regions as facing a growing and resurgent extremist threat.
According to the document, terrorist groups displaced from other parts of the world have taken advantage of weak governance and ungoverned territories in Africa and Central Asia to rebuild their operations.
The strategy specifically highlighted West Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, Mozambique, Sudan, and Somalia as regions confronting heightened security risks.
Nigeria, which shares the Lake Chad Basin with neighbouring countries, has battled insurgencies linked to Boko Haram and ISWAP for more than a decade.
The Trump administration argued that extremist activities in Africa expanded during what it described as ineffective counterterrorism policies under former President Joe Biden.
According to the strategy, Washingtonâs objectives in Africa include preventing jihadist groups from establishing operational bases capable of threatening U.S. interests and strengthening cooperation with governments combating insurgency.
The document also stated that the United States intends to continue working with African governments facing threats from ISIS and al-Qaeda-linked groups while maintaining what it described as a âlight military footprintâ on the continent.
In one of its references to Nigeria, the strategy highlighted previous actions taken by the Trump administration over attacks on Christians in the country, stating that such violence would not be ignored.
The report also referenced coordinated airstrikes reportedly carried out by U.S. forces alongside Nigerian authorities in December 2025 against Islamic State-linked militants in Sokoto State.
According to the document, the strikes formed part of joint security efforts aimed at weakening extremist networks operating in northwestern Nigeria.