The United States Department of State has approved a potential $346 million arms sale to Nigeria, including precision-guided bombs, rockets, and related equipment, to bolster the country’s fight against terrorism and illicit trafficking.
According to a Pentagon statement on Wednesday, the sale—now certified to Congress—will be executed through major defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin, RTX Missiles and Defense, and BAE Systems.
Nigeria’s request covers:
- 1,002 MK-82 general-purpose 500 lb bombs
- 1,002 MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for 500 lb Paveway II GBU-12
- 515 MXU-1006 Air Foil Groups for 250 lb Paveway II GBU-58
- 1,517 computer control groups for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58
- 1,002 joint programmable fuzes
- 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II all-up rounds (guidance sections, warheads, and rocket motors)
The package also includes non-major defence equipment like additional fuzes, bomb parts, practice rockets, impulse cartridges, integration support, testing tools, and technical services.
The State Department said the deal supports U.S. foreign policy and national security goals by enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to respond to current and emerging threats, particularly in counterterrorism operations and anti-smuggling missions in the Gulf of Guinea. It stressed that the sale would not disrupt the military balance in West Africa and that Nigeria could easily integrate the munitions into its armed forces.
