US Trains Nigerian Soldiers in Bauchi on Drones and First Aid

US Army trainer works with Nigerian soldiers during drone training in Bauchi. Photo: U.S. Africa Command

The United States is training Nigerian soldiers in Bauchi State. The focus is on using drones, treating injured soldiers on the battlefield, and other important army skills.

This was announced on Monday in a report by US Africa Command, AFRICOM. The training is taking place at the US operating base in Bauchi. It is part of the ongoing security partnership between both countries to make Nigerian forces stronger and better prepared.

During the training, soldiers learned many things. These include how to save lives in combat, how to handle weapons, how to hide in the bush, how to clean water, how to deal with bombs, small group tactics, and how to fly and use unmanned aircraft, also called drones.

“US and Nigerian troops are training together in Bauchi to share skills, build capacity and grow the relationship between our soldiers,” AFRICOM said.

Captain Gabriel Feingold, a US Army officer in charge at the Bauchi base, said Nigerian soldiers chose the areas they wanted to learn. 

“We give them different training topics and they pick what will help them most,” he said.

The drone training got the most attention. Sergeant Mark Murphy, a US intelligence officer, trained about 10 members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces. 

First, they spent 45 minutes in class. After that, they practiced flying the drones and using the information from the drones during missions.

“They were very excited to try it themselves,” Murphy said. “They also asked for more training.”

AFRICOM said the goal is not just to teach skills. It is also to build friendship and teamwork between US and Nigerian troops, especially among younger soldiers.

“This helps build relationships between soldiers on both sides,” Feingold added.

This new training comes after AFRICOM said in July that most US troops sent to Nigeria for a special counterterrorism mission had left. But the US said it will still share intelligence and continue working with Nigeria on security.

Officials said more training will happen in Bauchi as both countries look for new ways to work together and improve military skills.

Photos from the US Army show American and Nigerian soldiers training together with drones in April and June 2026.

For Nigeria, this shows that the partnership is now more about skills and technology, even as fewer US troops are on the ground.