Nigeria’s inclusion on US blacklist could affect military training, weapons sales and defence financing from October 1, unless a presidential waiver is granted.
The United States has placed Nigeria on its Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) blacklist, a designation that could trigger restrictions on military assistance, weapons sales and defence cooperation over allegations that armed groups continue to recruit and use children in the country.
The designation was contained in the US Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, published on October 11 and covering the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
According to the report, the restrictions could affect Nigeria from October 1, 2026, unless President Donald Trump grants a waiver or an applicable legal exception is secured.
The report identified Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as groups responsible for recruiting, abducting and using children as young as 12 in armed conflicts.
The potential sanctions come amid ongoing security cooperation between Washington and Abuja, including joint counterterrorism operations in northeastern Nigeria and the bilateral 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.
The CSPA designation could restrict International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defence Articles, certain peacekeeping assistance and licences for the direct commercial sale of military equipment to Nigeria.
The report listed Nigeria among 14 countries accused of recruiting or using child soldiers, alongside countries including Russia, Iran, Somalia and South Sudan.
It said Boko Haram and ISWAP had used children as cooks, domestic workers, spies, porters, messengers, guards and combatants, as well as suicide bombers.
The groups were also accused of abducting women and girls, subjecting them to forced marriage, sexual slavery and forced labour, and punishing some girls by forcing them to carry out suicide attacks.
Beyond the child soldier allegations, the report criticised Nigeria’s broader efforts to combat human trafficking, saying the country had failed to meet the minimum standards for eliminating the practice for the 15th consecutive year.
It also raised concerns about alleged official complicity in trafficking crimes, corruption and inadequate protection for victims.
The report said the Nigerian government did not report any investigations, prosecutions or convictions of public officials allegedly involved in trafficking during the period under review.
It added that observers had reported cases in which law enforcement, military and other government officials allegedly committed trafficking offences, accepted bribes to facilitate the crimes or obstructed investigations.
On enforcement, Nigerian authorities investigated 1,341 trafficking cases involving 1,367 suspects. The cases comprised 589 sex trafficking investigations, 301 forced labour cases and 451 cases whose categories were unspecified.
Of the cases investigated, 94 were prosecuted, while 97 traffickers were convicted.
The report acknowledged that most convicted traffickers received prison sentences of at least one year and that Nigerian authorities had strengthened cooperation with foreign governments on international trafficking investigations.
However, the number of trafficking victims who received government-supported assistance fell sharply from 2,058 in the preceding reporting period to 675.
Although authorities identified 2,004 victims during the period, comprising 893 victims of sex trafficking and 1,111 victims of forced labour, only a fraction received government assistance.
The report also criticised conditions in shelters operated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), particularly restrictions on residents’ freedom of movement and children’s access to education.
It said access to some protection services was tied to victims’ willingness to cooperate with law enforcement proceedings, while adult victims who declined shelter accommodation were not provided with alternative services.
The report further highlighted shortcomings in labour trafficking prevention, including the absence of a prohibition on worker-paid recruitment fees, inadequate accountability for fraudulent recruitment and insufficient specialised training for labour inspectors.
It also raised concerns about foreign criminal networks allegedly recruiting people into Nigeria with promises of employment before confining them and forcing them to participate in organised online scams.
Despite the criticisms, the US acknowledged some progress in Nigeria’s anti-trafficking response.
Government funding for victim services increased from N128m to N233m, while prevention spending rose from N58.8m to N245m.
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 has not attained the highest Tier 1 ranking in the US annual trafficking assessment since 2011. Its classification has fluctuated between Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 2 Watch List over the report’s 25-year history.
Reacting to the latest assessment, NAPTIP’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, said the agency would make its response public.
The Presidency had yet to respond to enquiries on the report as of the time of publication. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking comments.
The full impact of the CSPA designation will depend on the application of the statutory restrictions and whether the US president grants a waiver or an exception is applicable.
