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Boko Haram is a militant Islamic group that habits the northern states of Nigeria. Muhammed Yusuf created the group in 2002, in Maiduguri, capital of Borno, Nigeria. In a CNN article on the group, it stated, "In the local Hausa dialect, Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden.” The group also refers to itself as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, meaning “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad.”' (CNN Editorial Research, 2021). The goal of Boko Haram is to uproot the corruption and injustice in Nigeria, which it blamed on Western influences, and to impose Sharīʿah, or Islamic law.

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Boko Haram, (Hausa: "Westernization Is Sacrilege") byname of Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād (Arabic: "People Committed to the Prophet's Teachings for Propagation and Jihad"), from 2015 also called Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) or Islamic State's West African Province (ISWAP), Islamic sectarian movement, founded in 2002 by Muhammed Yusuf in northeastern Nigeria, that since 2009 has carried out assassinations and large-scale acts of violence in that country. The group's initial proclaimed intent was to uproot the corruption and injustice in Nigeria, which it blamed on Western influences, and to impose Sharīʿah, or Islamic law. Later the group vowed to avenge the deaths of Yusuf and other group members, who were killed by security forces in 2009. In 2015 the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and took the name Islamic State (or State's) West African Province (ISWAP; also known as Islamic State in West Africa, or ISWA). The next year the group split, with one faction retaining that name and the other reverting back to the original appellation.

Origins

Yusuf established the group in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of Borno, Nigeria. Although the original name of the group is Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād (often translated as "Association of the People of the Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad" or "People Committed to the Prophet's Teaching for Propagation and Jihad"), the name Boko Haram, which means "Westernization is sacrilege," was given to the group by neighbours based on how they viewed its lifestyle and teachings. This, in turn, was popularly interpreted as "Western education is a sin" or "Western education is forbidden." Ideologically, Boko Haram is against Westernization, which it views as negatively impacting Islamic values. The group blames Western influences for Nigeria's culture of corruption, which has contributed to a wide gap between the few rich and the many poor.

Early activity

Boko Haram gained widespread exposure in July 2009 when, after an incident in which group members were allegedly subjected to the excessive use of force by police and then were unable to get official investigation into the matter, the group launched attacks on police posts and other government installations, killing scores of police officers. When the police could not bring the situation under control, the army was brought in. The ensuing Joint Military Task Force operation left more than 700 Boko Haram members dead and destroyed the mosque that the group used as its headquarters. Yusuf and other leaders were arrested by the military and handed over to the police. A few days later the bullet-riddled corpses of Yusuf and his colleagues-including that of his father-in-law, Baba Fugu Mohammed, who had willingly handed himself over to the police for questioning-were displayed in public; the extrajudicial killings by the police infuriated the group as well as others.

After that incident, Boko Haram appeared to be disbanded, or at least inactive, until the next year, when a video was made public in which Yusuf's deputy, Abubakar Shekau, declared that he was the group's new leader and vowed to avenge the deaths of Yusuf and the others.

Revival and onslaught of attacks

In the summer of 2010, the group began to assassinate individuals, typically police officers, and also attacked larger targets. One early operation that garnered widespread attention occurred in September 2010, when the group attacked a prison in the city of Bauchi, in Bauchi state, and released more than 700 inmates, including some 100 Boko Haram members. Later that year, on Christmas Eve, the group attacked two Christian churches in Maiduguri and detonated explosives in Christian neighbourhoods in Jos, in Plateau state, the latter attack killing more than 30 people.

Boko Haram's attacks increased in frequency and magnitude, killing and injuring many. The attacks occurred primarily in Nigeria's northeast, north-central, and central states and typically focused on police, military, and government targets, as well as Christian churches and schools and Muslim individuals who were critical of the group. On August 26, 2011, the group struck its first high-profile international target within Nigeria when a suicide bomber crashed a car into the United Nations building in Abuja and detonated an explosive, which killed at least 23 people and injured more than 100 others. One of Boko Haram's deadliest attacks occurred on January 20, 2012, when more than 185 people lost their lives after group members launched coordinated attacks in the city of Kano, in Kano state, targeting police stations and government offices.

After its 2010 resurrection, Boko Haram's membership and organizational structure were not clear. The group reportedly had begun splintering into multiple factions sometime after Yusuf's death, with the main faction being led by Shekau. Security reports indicated that Boko Haram had links with other terrorist networks such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghrib (AQIM) and al-Shabaab in Somalia. In February 2013 some Boko Haram members reportedly began operating in neighbouring Cameroon.

The shadowy nature of Boko Haram as well as its resilience made it difficult to craft an effective strategy to end the group's campaign of terror. The Nigerian government initially responded by pursuing a strategy of military confrontation. This did little to end the attacks, though government forces were eventually somewhat successful in driving the group from larger cities. In 2013 it was apparent that Boko Haram had taken over many rural local government areas in northeastern states, where they were able to gain strength. Also troubling was the manner in which government security forces pursued the group, a manner that was often rife with extrajudicial violence and killings, and troops did not always discriminate between group members and civilians. Such methods heightened tensions in a country already on edge from Boko Haram's attacks and elicited widespread condemnation from human rights groups.

In April 2013 Shekau dismissed a proposal from Nigerian Pres. Goodluck Jonathan to grant amnesty to Boko Haram militants if they disarmed; Shekau declared that Boko Haram members had done nothing for which they needed amnesty. The next month Boko Haram launched a series of coordinated military-style attacks in the town of Bama, in Borno state. The attacks left more than 50 people dead and destroyed numerous police, military, and government buildings. The group also released more than 100 inmates from a prison in the town. In response, the government launched its largest-scale military offensive against Boko Haram to date, employing thousands of troops on the ground and a campaign of air strikes to combat the group. In spite of the military's actions, Boko Haram continued with its horrific attacks-including many on schools-resulting in more than 1,200 deaths by the end of 2013.

On the heels of the military offensive, in June President Jonathan had officially declared Boko Haram a terrorist group and banned it under Nigerian law, which meant that group members and anyone caught aiding them would be prosecuted under the country's Terrorism Prevention Act. The new legal designation was expected to make it easier for authorities to prosecute members of the group legally.

Boko Haram's attacks persisted into 2014, particularly in the northeast, as the group raided villages and terrorized and murdered civilians with increasing frequency. The group also killed hundreds of people by detonating bombs in large towns and cities, including Abuja. Boko Haram continued to target schools, such as in the February attack on a college in Yobe state where some 50 male students were killed and the college was virtually destroyed. The group drew worldwide condemnation after it perpetrated a mass kidnapping of more than 275 girls from a boarding school in Chibok in Borno state in April, which generated an increase in offers of international assistance to Nigeria as the country attempted to quell Boko Haram's acts of terror. In May the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on individuals in Boko Haram, freezing assets and issuing travel bans and an arms embargo. However, given the group's informal structure, the sanctions had no discernible effect on Boko Haram's operations. The group continued its attacks and expanded the territory it occupied. In August 2014 Boko Haram declared the area under its control to be an Islamic state.

Containment, allegiance to ISIL, and division

The tide appeared to turn in the fight against Boko Haram in February 2015 when a successful offensive was planned and launched by troops from Nigeria and neighbouring countries, which proved effective in uprooting Boko Haram from much of the area it had previously held. Meanwhile, in March 2015 the group pledged allegiance to ISIL, an insurgent group operating primarily in Iraq and Syria, and took the name ISWAP (later more commonly known as ISWA).

Also about that time, the group experienced a significant fissure, with Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of the group's original leader, Yusuf, leading a majority of the militants while Shekau remained the head of others. One of the reasons for the split was Shekau's indiscriminate use of violence that affected Muslims. In 2016 ISIL recognized al-Barnawi's faction as ISWA, and Shekau's faction was then referred to by its original name: in Hausa, Boko Haram, or, in Arabic, Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād (JAS). In spite of the different factions and names, "Boko Haram" was used at times to collectively refer to the various factions, particularly when there was confusion as to which group was responsible for an attack.

Resurgence

Although the joint task force composed of troops from Nigeria and neighbouring countries had made significant progress against Boko Haram and its related groups beginning in 2015, attacks by the militants later resumed, with ISWA in particular being very active from 2018. ISWA also reportedly gained a new leader, Abu Abdullah ibn Umar al-Barnawi, in 2019.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Adam Augustyn.

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Boko Haram | History, Meaning, Insurgency, & Facts

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Boko Haram, (Hausa: "Westernization Is Sacrilege") byname of Jamāʿat Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Daʿawah wa al-Jihād (Arabic: "People Committed to the Prophet's Teachings for Propagation and Jihad"), from 2015 also called Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) or Islamic State's West African Province (ISWAP), Islamic sectarian movement, founded in 2002 by Muhammed Yusuf in northeastern Nigeria, that since 2009 has carried out assassinations and large-scale acts of violence in that country.

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In a short article on Boko Haram, it said, " Boko Haram, a violent Islamist insurgency, has terrorized communities around West Africa's Lake Chad Basin for years — creating new hardships and compounding existing ones for millions of people in northeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, many of them still displaced and struggling to survive," (UNICEF USA, 2021). In the beginning, Boko Haram had mainly attacked police, but that grew into villages of civilians. Children have been killed and abducted, while villages are burned down making resources scarce.

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In 2015, Boko Haram pledged alliance with ISIS. From then on the violence has gotten worse with more deaths and kidnappings following. It is noted that since 2009, there have been nearly 350,000 deaths, and it is still increasing (Council on Foreign Relations, 2022). Nigerian troops have been fighting against this battle, but it still has not been enough to end this.

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Here's a look at Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group working out of Nigeria, whose purpose is to institute Sharia, or Islamic law.

Facts

In the local Hausa dialect, Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden."

The group also refers to itself as Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, meaning "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad."

Boko Haram militants mainly inhabit areas in the northern states of Nigeria, specifically Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, Borno and Kaduna.

Originally, Boko Haram was referred to locally as the Nigerian Taliban because of their religious similarities to the Taliban.

Boko Haram does not engage in Nigeria's political system out of an adherence to a fundamentalist form of Islam, which forbids participation unless the system is based on Sharia, or Islamic law.

Timeline

2002 - The group, which may have existed since the late 1990s, organizes under the Muslim cleric Mohammed Yusuf. It is centered in Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of Borno.

December 2003 - The first known attack by Boko Haram includes roughly 200 militants, who attack multiple police stations in the state of Yobe, near the Niger border.

July 2009 - The Boko Haram uprising begins in Bauchi and spreads to the states of Borno, Kano and Yobe. The militant group kills scores of police officers. A joint military task force responds, leaving more than 700 Boko Haram members dead and its operational mosque destroyed. The uprising ends when police capture Yusuf. His deputy, Abubakar Shekau, reportedly dies in the uprising. Yusuf later dies in police custody. Police say he is shot during an attempted escape, but Boko Haram claims it is an extrajudicial execution.

July 2010 - Boko Haram releases a video statement in which Yusuf's deputy who allegedly died the previous year, Shekau, claims to be the leader of the group.

September 7, 2010 - In the state of Bauchi, 50 Boko Haram militants attack a prison, killing five people and releasing more than 700 inmates.

May 29, 2011 - The day of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration, Boko Haram detonates three IEDs near a military barracks in the city of Bauchi. At least 10 people die in the attack.

August 26, 2011 - Boko Haram attacks the United Nations compound in Abuja. A car bomb kills 23 people and injures more than 75 others.

November 4, 2011 - More than 100 people die in multiple attacks in Yobo, Damaturu and Borno states. Boko Haram militants utilize IEDs and vehicle-borne IEDs to target security forces and their offices, markets and 11 churches.

January 2012 - A newly formed splinter group, known as Ansaru, announces Abu Usmatul al-Ansari as its leader.

January 20, 2012 - More than 200 people are killed when Boko Haram launches coordinated attacks targeting police, military, a prison and other targets in the city of Kano in Kano State.

February 19, 2013 - Militants alleging to be Boko Haram kidnap a French family of seven in a national park in northern Cameroon; however, the affiliation with Boko Haram cannot be verified. The family is later released.

April 2013 - Jonathan states he has appointed a team to explore the possibility of amnesty for Islamist militants. Shekau responds in an audio statement: "Surprisingly the Nigerian government is talking about granting us amnesty. What wrong have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should grant you pardon."

April 19, 2013 - Boko Haram battles with multinational security forces from Niger, Nigeria and Chad in the city of Baga in Borno State, leaving nearly 200 people dead, including many civilians. Shekau releases a video in May saying Boko Haram is not responsible for the civilian deaths.

June 4, 2013 - Jonathan approves the proscription of Boko Haram and splinter group Ansaru as terrorist organizations.

June 2013 - Boko Haram targets churches in various states on three Sundays in a row, leaving more than 50 people dead.

August 14, 2013 - The Ministry of Defence announces the death of Boko Haram's second-in-command, Momodu Baba (known as Abu Saad).

August 19, 2013 - Nigeria's chief army spokesperson claims Shekau may have died after an attack on June 30, but the claim is never verified.

September 17, 2013 - Boko Haram gunmen dress in military uniforms and stage a fake checkpoint near Benisheik in Borno, burning vehicles and executing travelers, leaving at least 143 people dead.

September 25, 2013 - A man claiming to be Shekau appears in a video and says that he is alive and well. However, his identity is not verified.

November 13, 2013 - The US State Department adds Boko Haram and Ansaru to its list of terrorist organizations.

May 5, 2014 - In a video statement, a man claiming to be Shekau says, "I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah...there is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women."

May 13, 2014 - Hundreds of Boko Haram militants storm three villages in the state of Borno. Villagers resist, killing more than 200 Boko Haram fighters.

May 20, 2014 - Twin blasts in the city of Jos kill 118 people at a market. Nigerian authorities describe the blasts as "terrorist activities" but decline to speculate on who might be responsible.

May 21, 2014 - The White House announces that the United States has sent 80 troops to Chad to help search for the kidnapped schoolgirls.

June 3-4, 2014 - Hundreds of people are killed in raids by Boko Haram militants in the state of Borno, with some sources putting the death toll at 400 to 500.

June 7-8, 2014 - Suspected Boko Haram militants kidnap at least 20 young women over a weekend in the northeastern Nigeria village of Garkin Fulani, eight kilometers from a town where more than 200 schoolgirls were taken nearly two months earlier.

June 18-22, 2014 - Boko Haram militants hold the village of Kummabza in Borno state hostage for four days. They abduct more than 60 females, including children, and kill 30 men in the raid.

July 7, 2014 - Sources say at least 57 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram last month from the Kummabza village have escaped from their captors and returned to their village. Boko Haram is still believed to be holding about 200 schoolgirls abducted April 14 from a boarding school in the town of Chibok.

July 17-20, 2014 - Boko Haram raids the Nigerian town of Damboa. By the time the raid ends, 66 residents have been killed and more than 15,000 have fled.

October 16, 2014 - The Nigerian government announces it has reached a ceasefire agreement with the Islamist terror group that includes the promised release of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls.

November 1, 2014 - In a video, the group's leader denies the Nigerian government's claim of a ceasefire.

January 3, 2015 - A multi-day raid begins, where hundreds of Boko Haram gunmen seize the town of Baga and neighboring villages in northern Nigeria, as well as a multinational military base, leaving bodies scattered everywhere and as many as 2,000 people feared dead.

March 2, 2015 - Boko Haram releases a video showing the apparent beheadings of two men they suspected of being spies.

March 7, 2015 - In an audio message purportedly from Shekau, Boko Haram pledges allegiance to ISIS, the Islamic militant group which controls areas of Iraq and Syria. The affiliate is named "Wilayat Gharb Afriqiyya" or "Wilayat Gharb Afriqiyyah," which means the Islamic State of West Africa.

April 25-26, 2015 - The decomposed corpses of at least 400 men, women and children are found in shallow, mass graves and on the streets of Damasak in northeastern Nigeria. Due to a joint Nigerian-Chadian military operation, the town has recently been freed of Boko Haram, which seized the town in November.

April 28-April 30, 2015 - Nigerian troops rescue about 450 women and girls in the Sambisa Forest during a military operation centered around destroying Boko Haram camps and rescuing civilians. According to the military, none of those rescued have been identified as the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped last April.

July 1, 2015 - Boko Haram militants raid three villages in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, killing at least 145 people, according to witnesses.

September 3, 2015 - An estimated 30 people are dead and 145 injured after Boko Haram militants attack a crowded market in Kerawa, Cameroon, and an infirmary near a Cameroonian military camp, according to Cameroonian military spokesman Col. Didier Badjeck.

September 23, 2015 - Two hundred forty-one women and children are rescued and 43 Boko Haram militants are arrested after the Nigerian military raids camps run by the terrorist group in two villages.

April 14, 2016 - CNN posts a video of some of the teenage girls abducted from Chibok that was sent to negotiators by their captors as a "proof of life."

May 17, 2016 - Amina Ali Nkeki, one of more than 200 kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, is the first to be freed after two years in captivity. Nigeria's army says she was rescued by army troops, but a witness tells CNN the girl wandered out of the Sambisa Forest in the northeast of the country along with her child and a man.

August 3, 2016 - ISIS publication al-Naba says that Sheikh Abu Musab al-Barnawi is the new leader of Boko Haram. A Boko Haram insider confirms to CNN that Barnawi, the son of the group's founder - who was killed by Nigerian security forces in 2009 - is in fact the new leader.

August 14, 2016 - Boko Haram releases a video of some of the girls kidnapped in April 2014 and demands the release of Boko Haram fighters in exchange for the girls.

October 13, 2016 - Boko Haram militants hand over 21 Chibok schoolgirls to authorities after a series of negotiations with the Nigerian government. It's the first mass release of any of the more than 200 girls and women kidnapped from their school in April 2014.

November 5, 2016 - A Chibok schoolgirl carrying her 10-month-old son is found by the Nigerian army.

January 5, 2017 - The Nigerian army says another missing Chibok girl and her 6-month old baby have been located during an operation to arrest suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

January 17, 2017 - Scores of people are killed when a Nigerian fighter jet mistakenly bombs a camp for the internally displaced during an operation in Rann against Boko Haram militants, according to Nigerian officials and the Red Cross. The Nigerian government provides no official death toll, but humanitarian aid group Doctors Without Borders says "about 90" people died.

May 6, 2017 - Eighty-two Chibok schoolgirls are released after negotiations between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government.

February 19, 2018 - A faction of Boko Haram raids the Government Girls Science and Technical College in the northeast Nigerian town of Dapchi, kidnapping 110 students of the college.

February 19, 2018 - A Justice Ministry statement says that a Nigerian high court has convicted 205 Boko Haram suspects for their involvement with the insurgent group, and the suspects were sentenced to jail terms ranging from three to 60 years. The court also freed 526 suspects, including minors, for lack of evidence and ordered they be sent to their state governments for "proper rehabilitation."

May 7, 2018 - The Nigerian army says it has rescued more than 1,000 Boko Haram captives - mainly women and children, as well as some young men who had been forced to become Boko Haram fighters - in Borno state. The operation, which was conducted in conjunction with Cameroonian and Nigerian troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), rescued the hostages from Malamkari, Amchaka, Walasa and Gora villages of the Bama Local Government Area.

January 29, 2019 - The UN Refugee agency says escalating attacks by Boko Haram militants have forced 30,000 people out of Nigeria's northeast into Cameroonian borders over the weekend. The United Nations says more than 250,000 people have already been displaced from northeast Nigeria, and surging militant attacks targeting civilians have forced thousands more to run for their lives each day.

May 10, 2019 - UNICEF says 894 children, including 106 girls, who were recruited by the anti-Boko Haram militia Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in northeast Nigeria, have been released. UNICEF says 1,727 children have been released since CJTF signed an action plan in 2017 to end child recruitment.

July 27, 2019 - A suspected attack by Boko Haram on a funeral gathering in northeastern Nigeria leaves at least 65 people dead. A local official says 21 people were initially killed during the burial ceremony, and an additional 44 people were killed when villagers ran after the assailants.

February 9, 2020 - At least 30 people, including a pregnant woman and a baby, die after suspected Boko Haram militants set fire on sleeping travelers in Borno state, Nigeria.

June 9, 2020 - At least 81 people are killed in an attack on a village by suspected Boko Haram militants in northeast Nigeria, the Borno state government said in a statement. Seven people, including the village head, children and women, are abducted.

January 28, 2021 - Some of the Chibok schoolgirls escape from their captors, the father of one of the girls tells CNN.

April 26, 2021 - Boko Haram fighters have reportedly hoisted the Islamist group's flag in a remote district in Niger State, Nigeria's Middle Belt region, and seized the wives of fleeing residents, the state's governor says in a widely circulated video. Niger State Governor Abubakar Bello discloses during a visit to an internally displaced persons camp in the state capital Minna, that over 3000 persons have been ousted from their communities by Boko Haram and other criminal gangs locally known as bandits.

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international relations and national security

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Here's a look at Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group working out of Nigeria, whose purpose is to institute Sharia, or Islamic law. In the local Hausa dialect, Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden." The group also refers to itself as Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad, meaning "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad."

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America has had conflict with ISIS for a long time, with the terrorist actions on America and the Afghanistan war. With them now associating with Boko Haram, it was stated that the US, " boosted its military assistance and deployed three hundred troops to Nigeria in an effort to help in the fight against Boko Haram", (Council on Foreign Relations, 2022). Nigeria's stability is important not only for the US economy, but mostly for the countries safety. America supports Nigeria's goals of having a democracy.

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"We look forward to rejuvenating our partnership based on our shared values of democracy, respect for human rights, and robust people-to-people relations."
- Secretary Antony J. Blinken, March 1, 2021

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on April 27 will participate in a virtual visit to Nigeria, where he will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama. Secretary Blinken, President Buhari, and Foreign Minister Onyeama will discuss continuing joint efforts to counter terrorism and insecurity, strengthen health systems, support democratic institutions, bolster economic growth, advance gender equality, and boost bilateral trade between the United States and Nigeria.
U.S.-Nigeria Relations

With Africa's largest population, democracy, and economy, Nigeria is one of our most important partners on the continent.

The year 2020 served as an historical benchmark, as Nigerians reflected on the opportunities and challenges the country faces while marking its 60th anniversary of independence and bilateral relations with the United States.

Nigeria is the largest source of immigrants from Africa to the United States, with more than 500,000 Nigerian-born American citizens and legal residents in the U.S.

Pandemic Response and Health Diplomacy

The United States and Nigeria have collaborated closely to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 60 interagency members from the U.S. Mission worked side-by-side with Nigerian counterparts on the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to plan and respond to the disease.

The United States has contributed more than $73 million in COVID-related equipment and technical assistance. This includes the delivery of a mobile field hospital, 200 ventilators, epidemiological COVID detection surveys, personal protective equipment, provision of rapid response teams, training of over 200,000 military and civilian personnel on COVID-19 control measures, and technology transfer for virtual training.

Ongoing U.S. health programs reach more than 60 million Nigerians with lifesaving services, including by training public health workers and improving access to quality medicines, vaccines, medical facilities, and reproductive health materials.

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has worked with the Government of Nigeria since 2004 to provide HIV and TB care and treatment services, with a momentum propelling Nigeria toward epidemic control within two years. As of December 2020, more than 1.2 million people receive PEPFAR-supported HIV treatment, and our partners placed 350,000 new patients on lifesaving antiretrovirals despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 1997, the United States has directly supported polio surveillance and polio campaigns that reached nearly all of Nigeria's 33 million children under 5 years of age, contributing to Nigeria being certified as wild polio-virus free in 2020.

Since 2011, the President's Malaria Initiative has procured more than 60 million insecticide-treated nets, 46 million rapid diagnostic test kits, 87 million treatment courses for malaria, and 20 million doses of malaria prophylaxis during pregnancy, as part of over $690 million contributed to malaria control in Nigeria.

Nigeria is a key U.S. partner in the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). The mission approved $3.4 million in FY 2020 GHSA funding for capacity building programs to strengthen zoonotic surveillance labs, infection-prevention control, antimicrobial resistance, and risk communication.

Bilateral Economic Engagement

Nigeria is our second largest trading partner in Africa; two-way trade between our nations expanded to over $10 billion in 2019. The United States is proud to be one of the largest foreign investors in Nigeria. S. support for economic growth includes funding $8.5 million in feasibility studies and technical assistance in 2020-2021, extending loan guarantees worth up to $80 million, and coordinating development finance in important sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, and information and communication technology. These activities support bilateral trade and investment ties while building more modern and sustainable infrastructure across Nigeria.

Through Feed the Future, the United States supports private sector expansion of markets, as well as the introduction of techniques to increase productivity, strengthen resilience, and improve nutrition for more than two million farmers and their communities.

Since its launch in 2013, Power Africa has mobilized $4.3 billion in financing and connected nearly two million households and businesses in Nigeria. Power Africa helps to attract private sector investment and supports the rollout of both on-grid and renewable off-grid electricity connections in order to spur economic growth and reduce poverty.

Educational and Cultural Exchanges

With over 100,000 travelers to the United States each year, Nigerians boost American businesses, colleges, and universities. There are over 8,800 education and exchange program alumni from Nigeria and the United States.

Nigeria sends more students to American colleges and universities than any other country in Africa and is the eleventh largest source worldwide of international students to the United States. In Academic Year 2019-2020, a record-breaking number of nearly 14,000 Nigerians pursued U.S. graduate and undergraduate degrees, bringing an estimated $501 million to communities across America. In 2020, advisees of EducationUSA services received scholarships worth $28 million.

The United States provided more than 9 million teacher's guides and books in five of Nigeria's most widely spoken languages to advance early grade reading.

Striving for Peace and Security

Northeast Nigeria has become one of the world's most challenging and complex humanitarian crises. The United States is the largest humanitarian donor in response to the crisis, providing $1.45 billion since 2015 and supporting almost two million conflict-affected households.

Since 2017, Department of State and Department of Defense security assistance for Nigeria totals approximately $650 million, including $500 million in Foreign Military Sales. The United States looks forward to delivering twelve A-29 Super Tucano aircraft this year. Nigeria also has one of the largest International Military-Education and Training (IMET) programs in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The United States promotes strong and broad collaboration between government and civil society at all levels, including civil society organizations led by women and members of marginalized groups. We also support the establishment of robust early warning systems to identify and mitigate drivers of communal conflict and violence in vulnerable states.

We provide technical assistance, and train and equip law enforcement and judiciary professionals to address a wide range of priorities, ranging from stopping banditry to protecting intellectual property rights to more effectively addressing trafficking in persons and gender-based violence. Law enforcement programming focuses on building capacity for civilian security actors, particularly the Nigeria Police Force.

As the Gulf of Guinea has become the world's hotspot for piracy and armed robbery at sea, Nigeria has stepped up efforts to stem this problem, including a new initiative, Deep Blue, consisting of vessels, shoreside infrastructure, and personnel that can be dispatched to respond to piracy incidents. It is expected to become operational by mid-2021. U.S. efforts to stem piracy in the Gulf of Guinea help to strengthen maritime governance, enable the development of sustainable, maritime-based economies, and protect international maritime commerce.

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The United States and Nigeria: Strategic Partners - United States Department of State

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"We look forward to rejuvenating our partnership based on our shared values of democracy, respect for human rights, and robust people-to-people relations." - Secretary Antony J. Blinken, March 1, 2021 Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on April 27 will participate in a virtual visit to Nigeria, where he will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari [...]

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"Through U.S. assistance in Nigeria, the U.S. Government works to protect Americans from terrorism and disease, create opportunity for trade and investment, and support a more stable and prosperous country that is a partner in advancing our global priorities. Through U.S. foreign assistance, the U.S. Government is supporting Nigerian efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, promote good governance and counter corruption, and improve security while addressing the factors that drive conflict and providing life-saving assistance to those affected by terrorism. U.S. assistance also aims to build institutional capacity in the provision of health and education services and increase agricultural productivity and food security.  More details on foreign assistance to Nigeria can be found here. "

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More information about Nigeria is available on the U.S.-NIGERIA RELATIONS Nigeria Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.
The United States established diplomatic relations with Nigeria in 1960, following Nigeria's independence from the United Kingdom. From 1966 to 1999, Nigeria experienced a series of military coups, excluding the short-lived second republic between 1979 and 1983. The 30-month long civil war, which ended in January 1970, resulted in 1-3 million casualties. Following the 1999 inauguration of a civilian president, the U.S.-Nigerian relationship began to improve, as did cooperation on foreign policy goals such as regional peacekeeping.

Nigeria is the largest economy and most populous country in Africa with an estimated population of over 200 million, which is expected to grow to 400 million by 2050 and become the third most populous country in the world after China and India. Nigeria had an estimated gross domestic product of 448 billion USD in 201 9 . Although Nigeria's economy has become more diversified, crude oil sales have continued to be the main source of export earnings and government revenues. Despite persistent structural weaknesses such as a deficient transportation infrastructure, the Nigerian economy grew briskly for the decade ending in 2013. I n 2016 and 2017 Nigeria experienced its first recession in over two decades before rebounding in 2018. Before COVID-19, the Nigerian economy was expected to grow by 2.1% in 2020. The collapse in oil prices coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to lead to a severe economic recession, the worst since the 1980s, according to the World Bank. Inflation hit 13.74 percent in September 2020 , a two-year high, and is expected to pass 14 percent by December 2020 . Nigeria's economy could contract as much as 8.9 percent in 2020 . With more than 60% of the population living in poverty , the recession is exp ected to make an even greater number of households vulnerable to unemployment and food insecurity .

In the 2015 presidential elections, for the first time in the country's history, an opposition party won the presidency and control of the National Assembly in generally clean and transparent elections. Notwithstanding important steps forward on consolidating democracy, the country continues to face the formidable challenges of terrorist attacks, inter-communal conflicts, crime and kidnapping, and public mistrust of the government. Nigeria has yet to develop effective systems to address corruption, poverty, and ineffective social service delivery.

President Muhammadu Buhari won a second four-year term in February 2019.  The United States continues to support Nigerian institutions and the Nigerian people in their efforts to conduct free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections, the results of which reflect the will of the Nigerian people.
U.S. Assistance to Nigeria
In April 2018, President Trump hosted President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria at the White House to discuss efforts to deepen our mutually beneficial relationship. Since 2010, under the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC), a forum for high-level discussions, the two countries have met regularly. The most recent BNC was held on February 3 , 2020, in Washington D.C. and attended by an inter-agency delegation headed by Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama and Under Secretary of State David Hale . The BNC meetings have focused on key areas of mutual interest, including good governance and anti-corruption; trade and investment; development and food security; and security and counter-terrorism efforts.
Bilateral Economic Relations
In April 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken conducted a virtual visit to Nigeria, participating in meetings with President Buhari and Foreign Minister Onyeama and participating in a health partnership event, highlighting the United States' commitment to assisting Nigeria in combatting infectious diseases and advancing global health security .
Bilateral Security Cooperation
Through U.S. assistance in Nigeria, the U.S. Government works to protect Americans from terrorism and disease, create opportunity for trade and investment, and support a more stable and prosperous country that is a partner in advancing our global priorities. Through U.S. foreign assistance, the U.S. Government is supporting Nigerian efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, promote good governance and counter corruption, and improve security while addressing the factors that drive conflict and providing life-saving assistance to those affected by terrorism. U.S. assistance also aims to build institutional capacity in the provision of health and education services and increase agricultural productivity and food security. M ore details on foreign assistance to Nigeria can be found .
Nigeria's Membership in International Organizations
The United States is the largest foreign investor in Nigeria, with U.S. foreign direct investment concentrated largely in the petroleum/mining and wholesale trade sectors. At $ 3 .2 billion in 201 9 , Nigeria is the second largest U.S. export destination in Sub-Saharan Africa. The United States and Nigeria have a bilateral commercial investment dialogue, led by the Department of Commerce, and was last convened at the ministerial level in February 2020 . In 201 9 , the two-way trade in goods between the United States and Nigeria totaled over $ 10 billion. U.S. exports to Nigeria include wheat, vehicles, machinery, kerosene, lubricating oils, jet fuel, civilian aircraft, and plastics. Nigerian exports to the United States included crude oil, cocoa, cashew nuts, and animal feed. Nigeria is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Bilateral Representation
Nigeria is an important U.S. security partner in Africa. Nigeria is engaged in intensive efforts to defeat terrorist organizations within its borders, including Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA). Nigeria is a vital member of the Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS) coalition and in October 2020, Nigeria co-hosted a virtual D-ISIS conference with the U nited States.

Nigeria and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Nigeria also is an observer to the Organization of American States.

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria is Mary Beth Leonard; other principal embassy and consulate officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.

Nigeria maintains an  embassy  in the United States at 3519 International Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008, (tel: 202-800-7201, ext 113).

More information about Nigeria is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

CIA World Factbook Nigeria Page
U.S. Embassy
USAID Nigeria Page
History of U.S. Relations With Nigeria
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics
Export.gov International Offices Page
Library of Congress Country Studies
Travel Information

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U.S. Relations With Nigeria - United States Department of State

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More information about Nigeria is available on the Nigeria Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-NIGERIA RELATIONS The United States established diplomatic relations with Nigeria in 1960, following Nigeria's independence from the United Kingdom.

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American Citizens should be aware of this conflict going on in Nigeria so that they know whats going on in the world and see if there's a way that they can help/ be involve. The UNICEF USA delivers humanitarian aid to areas affected by conflict is extremely challenging. "Displacement camps tend to be overcrowded and host communities have little to offer to newcomers. UNICEF continues to work with partners across the region to identify and respond to urgent needs, connecting children and families with health care, nutrition, sources of safe water and protection services", (UNICEF, 2021). Citizens are able to donate to help those in need and are victims of the Boko Haram. With the support Nigeria is getting from the United States against Boko Haram, I do believe that they will eventually succeed. But unfortunately, it may take some time before that day comes.

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A violent insurgency, a prolonged humanitarian crisis

Boko Haram, a violent Islamist insurgency, has terrorized communities around West Africa's Lake Chad Basin for years - creating new hardships and compounding existing ones for millions of people in northeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, many of them still displaced and struggling to survive.

Children have been abducted, killed and used as suicide bombers. Villages have been attacked, and - if not burned to the ground - left stripped of all resources. Safe water, adequate health care and other basics are difficult to come by. Malnutrition rates among children have soared.

Severe acute malnutrition is life-threatening without treatment

Delivering humanitarian aid to areas affected by conflict is extremely challenging. Displacement camps tend to be overcrowded and host communities have little to offer to newcomers. UNICEF continues to work with partners across the region to identify and respond to urgent needs, connecting children and families with health care, nutrition, sources of safe water and protection services.
Help UNICEF save and protect vulnerable children around the world. Your contribution can make a difference. Top photo: The Boko Haram insurgency has created a humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad basin region. Part of UNICEF's response has been to work with partners to improve access to safe water through new construction or rehabilitation of water points, among other measures, and to strengthen local management of these water systems by establishing committees and providing maintenance training. Above, two girls pump water from a new borehole installed at a camp for displaced families in Garin Wazam, east of Diffa, Niger. © UNICEF/UN029266/Phelps

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A violent insurgency, a prolonged humanitarian crisis Boko Haram, a violent Islamist insurgency, has terrorized communities around West Africa's Lake Chad Basin for years - creating new hardships and compounding existing ones for millions of people in northeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, many of them still displaced and struggling to survive.

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I think it is so important that the United States is involved in helping the citizens of Nigeria fight against Boro Haram. America is a democracy and Nigeria wants to be that as well, so the US supports by defending and protecting against terrorist acts. It's salient that the US assists Nigeria in this time of need to create a stronger,safer, and better economy for the world.