The United States has placed Nigeria on its Child Soldiers Prevention Act blacklist, a designation that could trigger restrictions on military assistance, weapons sales and defence cooperation from October 1, 2026, unless President Donald Trump grants a waiver.
The action follows findings in the US State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which identified Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as groups continuing to recruit and use children in armed conflict in Nigeria.
The report, published on October 11 and obtained by The PUNCH on Monday, covers the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. It placed Nigeria among 14 countries listed under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act, alongside countries including Russia, Iran, South Sudan and Somalia.
According to the report, the designation could restrict International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defence Articles, certain peacekeeping assistance and licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment to Nigeria.
“The CSPA prohibits assistance to governments that are identified in the list under the following authorities,” the report stated, noting that the restrictions would apply from October 1, 2026, subject to a presidential waiver or other applicable exceptions.
The development comes amid ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the US, including joint counterterrorism operations in the North-East 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, despite efforts to combat the crime.
It raised concerns about alleged official complicity in trafficking, stating that the government did not report investigations, prosecutions or convictions of public officials suspected of involvement in trafficking offences.
“Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns,” the report said, adding that some law enforcement, military and other government officials were reportedly involved in trafficking, accepted bribes or obstructed investigations.
On enforcement, the report said Nigerian authorities investigated 1,341 trafficking cases during the period, comprising 589 sex trafficking cases, 301 forced labour cases and 451 cases that were not specified.
The cases involved 1,367 suspects, but only 94 were prosecuted, while 97 traffickers were convicted.
The US acknowledged that most convicted offenders received prison sentences of at least one year and that Nigerian authorities increased cooperation with foreign governments on international trafficking investigations.
However, the report highlighted a decline in assistance provided to trafficking victims. Although 2,004 victims were identified, including 893 victims of sex trafficking and 1,111 victims of forced labour, only 675 received government-supported assistance, compared with 2,058 in the previous reporting period.
It also criticised conditions in shelters operated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), particularly restrictions on residents’ movement and children’s access to education.
The report said some protection services were tied to victims’ willingness to cooperate with law enforcement proceedings. It added that adults who declined shelter accommodation were not provided with alternative services and that only one dedicated non-governmental organisation shelter was available for adult male trafficking survivors.
On child recruitment, the report accused Boko Haram and ISWAP of recruiting, abducting and using children as young as 12 in Nigeria and other countries in the Lake Chad region.
It said children were used as cooks, domestic workers, spies, porters, messengers, guards, combatants and suicide bombers, while some were subjected to physical and sexual abuse and forced drug use.
The report further alleged that women and girls abducted by armed groups were subjected to forced labour, domestic servitude, sexual slavery and forced marriage.
It also raised concerns about criminal gangs exploiting children in forced criminal activities, including kidnappings and robberies, as well as trafficking for sexual exploitation, agriculture and mining.
Beyond child recruitment, the report identified other trafficking concerns in Nigeria, including so-called baby factories, where women are allegedly held against their will and forced to give birth to children who are subsequently sold.
It also cited cases involving foreign criminal networks allegedly recruiting people to Nigeria under false employment promises before confining them and forcing them to participate in online scams.
The report further 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 reported warning signs.
It also expressed concern that North Korean nationals working in Nigeria might be operating under exploitative conditions indicative of forced labour.
Despite the criticisms, the US acknowledged increases in Nigeria’s spending on anti-trafficking interventions. Funding for victim services reportedly rose from N128 million to N233 million, while prevention spending increased from N58.8 million to N245 million.
The report also noted that Nigeria coordinated the repatriation of 428 citizens exploited abroad, secured restitution for 14 victims through criminal sentences and maintained anti-trafficking task forces in 23 states.
Nigeria serves as a source, transit and destination country for human trafficking. According to the report, the country last attained Tier 1 status in 2011 and has since moved between Tier 2 and the Tier 2 Watch List.
When contacted for comments, NAPTIP’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, said the agency would make its response to the report public.
