U.S. Approves $346 Million Arms Sale to Nigeria to Boost Counterterrorism Efforts

The United States government has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Nigeria, involving precision-guided munitions, rockets, and related military equipment valued at an estimated $346 million.

This approval was confirmed in a statement released by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) dated August 13, and received on Thursday. The agency said it had formally notified the U.S. Congress of the potential sale.

According to the DSCA, the Nigerian government requested to purchase a wide array of military assets, including 1,002 MK-82 500-pound general purpose bombs, 1,002 MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-12, 515 MXU-1006 AFGs for GBU-58, 1,517 computer control groups for GBU-12/GBU-58, 1,002 FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes, and 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II rockets. The package also includes bomb components, practice rockets, impulse cartridges, test equipment, integration support, and logistics services.

The DSCA stated that this proposed sale is intended to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to tackle present and future security threats, especially in its ongoing operations against terrorist groups and efforts to curb illicit trafficking within Nigeria and across the Gulf of Guinea. It emphasized that the transaction aligns with U.S. foreign policy objectives and supports a key strategic partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The deal will not affect regional military balance or compromise U.S. defense readiness, the agency noted. Key contractors involved in the potential sale include RTX Missiles and Defense, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and BAE Systems. No offset agreements are currently proposed, and no additional U.S. personnel will be deployed to Nigeria as part of the implementation. The final cost and scope of the deal will depend on Nigeria’s confirmed requirements and contractual agreements.