It’s Time We Invite the U.S. to Set Up a Military Base in Nigeria
MS Abubakar, PhD, CAS
“Niger chose anger. Mali chose Wagner. Nigeria must choose strategy.”
As a Northerner, I must confess a contradiction. When French and U.S. troops withdrew from Niger Republic in 2024, I celebrated on my street in Abuja. Like millions across West Africa, I had condemned the idea of a new foreign base in Northern Nigeria. My fears were not invented. They were fed by a powerful narrative: that France, in particular, orchestrates instability in the Sahel to protect uranium interests and CFA franc dominance. In Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, the junta and the youth believe France sponsors or tolerates jihadists to justify its presence. I believed it too.
But conviction without evidence is dangerous. So, I asked harder questions.
- The “Foreign Base = Instability” Myth Doesn’t Hold Up
America operates over 700 military facilities worldwide. In Africa alone it has Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, bases in Kenya, Ghana, and drone operations in Niger before 2024. Did Kenya become a failed state? Did Ghana lose its democracy? No. In fact, Ghana ranks higher than Nigeria on the Global Peace Index and Human Development Index. Kenya, despite Al-Shabaab threats, has maintained state capacity and elections.
The common factor is not the base. It is governance. Where institutions are strong, foreign security cooperation is managed. Where institutions are weak, any presence — French, Russian, or American — becomes a political football.
- Our Problem is Structural, Not Foreign
Banditry in Zamfara, Boko Haram in Borno, ISWAP in Lake Chad, and kidnapping along the Abuja-Kaduna corridor are not imported problems. They are Nigerian problems with Nigerian roots: endemic poverty where 63% live in multidimensional poverty per NBS, exclusion of rural communities from basic services, low HDI, ungoverned spaces, and porous borders the size of Western Europe.
No foreign soldier can fix bad governance. But a foreign base with ISR drones, satellite intelligence, and logistics can degrade the killers while we fix the system. That is the distinction I missed in 2024.
- The Wagner Experiment in Mali Proved the Point
After expelling France, Mali invited Russia’s Wagner Group. Three years later, attacks increased, 300+ civilians were killed in Moura, and Wagner became accused of human rights abuses. If Russia had the capacity to stabilize the Sahel, Mali would be the proof. It is not.
America brings something different: not just guns, but integrated intelligence, airlift, MEDEVAC, and training. The U.S. Africa Command’s “by, with, and through” doctrine means they build local capacity. That is what Nigeria needs now.
- Our Military is Brave, But Overstretched
I say this with respect: the Nigerian Armed Forces is arguably the third most powerful in Africa. Our soldiers have fought in ECOMOG, Sudan, Somalia, and against Boko Haram for 15 years. Their courage is legendary.
“Courage without equipment is martyrdom. Our soldiers deserve partners, not just praise.”
But courage without equipment is martyrdom. We have lost senior serving and retired officers — generals, colonels — to ambushes and IEDs. That tells you the enemy has better ISR and night-fighting capacity in some theaters. Our air force flies sorties, but lacks persistent drone coverage. Our army clears territory, but cannot “hold” due to logistics gaps. A U.S. base can fill those specific gaps without commanding our troops.
- Sovereignty is Negotiated, Not Surrendered
The fear of “neo-colonialism” is valid. But sovereignty is not an all-or-nothing idea. Japan hosts U.S. bases yet remains sovereign and industrialized. Germany does too. The key is a Status of Forces Agreement negotiated by Nigerians, for Nigerians. Terms can include: Nigerian command over operations, no unilateral raids, joint patrols only, technology transfer, and mandatory training of NAF and NA personnel.
“Sovereignty is negotiated, not surrendered. A base is a lease, not an occupation.”
A base is not occupation. It is a lease. We lease land to MTN and Airtel. We can lease a corner of the North to a partner who helps us kill terrorists faster.
- There Are Economic and Strategic Upsides
Beyond security, a U.S. base means infrastructure: better airstrips, hospitals, roads, and skilled jobs for locals. It means Nigeria becomes a hub for Sahel intelligence. That raises our diplomatic weight in ECOWAS and AU. Right now, after Niger’s exit, the U.S. is looking for a reliable anchor state in the region. Why shouldn’t that be Nigeria?
The Call
I was wrong in 2024. Expelling partners did not bring peace to the Sahel. It created vacuums. Nigeria cannot afford a vacuum.
So, I am calling on fellow Nigerians, especially Northerners like me, to reconsider. Let us pressure the National Assembly and Presidency to open talks with Washington on a limited, transparent U.S. military presence. Let us demand oversight, not rejection.
The Sahel is burning. Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali chose anger. Nigeria must choose strategy.
It is time we allowed the U.S. to set up a military base in Nigeria — not because we are weak, but because we are serious about ending the bloodshed.
Nigeria must not bleed alone when help is available.