This is a list of wars involving the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its predecessor states.
Other conflicts Mbaise Rebellion Battles against the British 1902–1917 – In 1900, the British created the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. The resistance to British colonisation from the people of modern mbaise and igbo's throughout Eastern Nigeria is well documented. Bende Onitsha Hinterland Expedition 1905–1906 – The Bende Onitsha Hinterland Expedition is also referred to as the Ahiara Expedition due to the impact it had on the area. There was a lot of hostility between the British and the people of Mbaise following the Aro Expedition.
Kingdom of Benin (1180–1897) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultIdah war (1515-1516)part of the European exploration of Africa Kingdom of Benin Portuguese EmpireIgala Kingdom Traitor from BeninBenin-Portuguese victory
Oyo Empire (1682–1833) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultBattle of Dahomey(1728)Oyo EmpireDahomeyVictoryBattle of AtakpaméAshanti EmpireVictory Severe defeat on the AshantiBattle of Tabkin Kwattopart of the Fulani War(1804)GobirKel Gress TuaregsSullubawa FulanisSokoto CaliphateAgali and Adar TuaregsDecisive Sokoto victoryFulani Warpart of the Fula jihads(1804–1808) Sokoto CaliphateSupport:Sultanate of AïrSokoto victory Establishment of the Sokoto CaliphateBattle of Oyo IleOyo EmpireNupeDecisive Oyo victory The Oyo defeated the Nupe and reclaimed Oyo Ile
Battles (1901–1902) Battles in the Oguta/Owerri area (November 1901) Battles of Esu Itu (December 1901) Anglo-Aro war (December 1901) Battle of Edimma (January 1902) Battle of Ikotobo (January 1902) Battle of Ikorodaka (February 1902) Battle of Bende (March 1902)
Colonial Nigeria (1800–1960) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultIgbo-Igala Wars(18th-19th century)Nsukka Anioma AguleriIgala KingdomStalemate Nsukka briefly conquered by Igala, Minor Igala influences in certain Western Igbo areas, Nsukka Reconquered by Aguleri the group of Igbo warriors, Ezza conquers multiple Igala areas, Igbo Influence on Igala in IgbolandEkumeku Movement(1883–1914)Ekumeku organisation British EmpireBritish victory Establishment of the Southern Nigeria ProtectorateAnglo-Aro Warpart of the Scramble for Africa(1901–1902) Aro ConfederacyBritish victoryBattle of Kanopart of the Pacification of Northern Nigeria(1903) Sokoto Caliphate Kano Emirate British Empire Protectorate of Northern NigeriaBritish victoryAfrican theatre of World War Ipart of the First World War(1914–1918)Entente Powers:
Central Powers:Allied victory Annexation of the German colonies by the Entente Termination of residual Ottoman rights in Tripolitania Annexation of the Sultanate of Darfur by Anglo-Egyptian SudanKamerun campaignpart of the African theatre of World War I(1914–1916) Nigeria
French Equatorial Africa Belgium KamerunAllied victory Kamerun divided into League of Nations mandates under British and French rule (1919)First Battle of Garuapart of the Kamerun campaign in World War I(1914) British Nigeria Germany German KamerunGerman victoryBattle of Gurinpart of the Kamerun campaign in World War I(1915) British Nigeria German KamerunBritish victorySecond Battle of Garuapart of the Kamerun campaign in World War I(1915) British Nigeria
French Equatorial Africa German Empire German KamerunAllied victoryBussa Rebellionpart of World War I(1915)Supporters of the Emir of Bussa British victoryAdubi War (1918) British Empire British NigeriaEgba rebelsBritish victoryEast African Campaign (World War II)part of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of the Second World War(1940–1943) Ethiopian Arbegnoch
Equatorial Africa Allied victory Dissolution of Italian East Africa (AOI)Eritrea, Somaliland and Ethiopia under British military administration
First Nigerian Republic (1960–1979) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultCongo Crisispart of the decolonisation of Africa and the Cold War(1960–1964)Supported by:
1963–1964:
Supported by: 1960–1963:
Supported by:
1960–1962:
Supported by:
1963–1964:
Supported by:Victory The Congo established as an independent unitary state under the authoritarian presidency of Mobutu Sese Seko.1966 Nigerian coup d'état(1966) Government of Nigeria Rebel Army OfficersCoup failed but government was still overthrown End of the First Nigerian Republic Assassination of 11 senior politicians Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi seizes power Coup conspirators arrested Beginning of the Supreme Military Council of Nigeria (1966–1979) Beginning of the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom 1966 Nigerian counter-coup six months later1975 Nigerian coup d'état (1975) Military government Supreme Military Council (SMC) Armed Forces faction Supreme Military Council (SMC)Coup succeeds Yakubu Gowon is ousted and replaced with Murtala Mohammed.1976 Nigerian coup d'état attempt (1976) Military government Supreme Military Council (SMC) Armed Forces factionCoup fails Murtala Mohammed is assassinated and succeeded by Olusegun Obasanjo.
Civil War (1967–1970) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultNigerian Civil Warpart of the Cold War and the decolonisation of Africa(1967–1970)Nigerian victory Dissolution of the Republic of BiafraOperation UNICORDpart of the Biafran War(1967)Nigerian victoryMidwest Invasion of 1967part of the Biafran War(1967)Nigerian victoryFirst Invasion of Onitshapart of the Biafran War(1967)Biafran victoryOperation Tiger Clawpart of the Nigerian Civil War(1967)Nigerian victoryFall of Enugupart of the Nigerian Civil War(1967)Nigerian victorySecond Invasion of Onitshapart of the Biafran War(1968)Nigerian victoryAbagana Ambushpart of the Nigerian Civil War(1968)Decisive Biafran victoryInvasion of Port Harcourtpart of the Biafran War(1968)VictoryOperation OAUpart of the Biafran War(1968)Biafran victoryOperation Hiroshimapart of the Biafran War(1968)Decisive Nigerian victorySiege of Owerripart of the Nigerian Civil War(1968–1969)Biafran victoryOperation Leopard (1969)part of the Biafran WarVictoryInvasion of Umuahiapart of the Biafran War(1969)VictoryOperation Tail-Windpart of the Biafran War(1970)Decisive Nigerian victory Capitulation of Biafra
Second Nigerian Republic (1977–1991) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultShaba Ipart of the Shaba Invasions and the Cold War(1977)Supported by: Congolese National Liberation Front (FNLC) Supported by:Zairian victory FNLC expelled from ShabaChadian–Libyan conflictpart of the Cold War and the Arab Cold War(1978-1987) Anti-Libyan Chadian factions FAT (1978–1979) FAN (1978–1983) FANT (1983–1987) GUNT (1986–1987) Inter-African Force
NFSL Libya Islamic LegionGeoffrey Leslie Simons, Libya and the West: from independence to Lockerbie, Centre for Libyan Studies (Oxford, England). p. 57 Pro-Libyan Chadian factions FROLINAT GUNT (1979–1986) Codos (1983–1986) FAP (1978–1986) Pro-Libyan Palestinian and Lebanese groups (1987) Abu Nidal OrganizationChadian and French victory Chad regains control of the Aouzou Strip.1983 Nigerian coup d'état (1983) Democratically elected Federal Government of Nigeria Armed Forces factionCoup succeeds President Shehu Shagari is ousted by Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, GOC 3rd Armored Division.Chadian–Nigerian War (1983) NigeriaNigerian victory1985 Nigerian coup d'état (1985) Military government Supreme Military Council (SMC) Armed Forces faction Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC)Coup succeeds Muhammadu Buhari is ousted by the Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Babangida.First Liberian Civil Warpart of the Liberian Civil Wars and spillover of the Sierra Leone Civil War(1990–1997) Liberian government Loyalist Armed Forces elements
ULIMO ULIMO-K ULIMO-J LPC LUDF LDF Supported by:ECOMOG
UNOMIL Anti-Doe Armed Forces elements NPFL INPFL NPFL-CRC Supported by: RUFNPFL victory Overthrow of the Doe government in 1990 Charles Taylor elected President of Liberia in 1997
Third Nigerian Republic (1992–1999) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 ResultUnified Task Forcepart of the Somali Civil War(1992–1993)Somali National AllianceAl-Itihaad al-IslamiyaOperational success Transition to UNOSOM IISierra Leone Civil Warpart of the spillover of the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars(1991–2002)Commonwealth victory1998 Monrovia clashespart of the aftermath of the First Liberian Civil War(1998) Johnson's forces (ex-ULIMO-J)Limited involvement: Liberian government (Taylor loyalists)Partial victory of Charles Taylor Monrovia purged of Roosevelt Johnson's followers Mass killings of Krahn, which contribute to the Second Liberian Civil War's outbreak
Fourth Nigerian Republic (1999–present) Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Conflict in the Niger Delta(2003–present) Nigerian government Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (since 2019) Nigerian Armed Forces
supported by:Siarhei Bohdan.Belarusian Military Cooperation With Developing Nations: Dangerous Yet Legal // Belarus Digest, 5 December 2013Нигерийские солдаты проходят специальную подготовку в Беларуси для борьбы с боевиками в дельте Нигера – Центр специальной подготовки Республики Беларусь Niger Delta Republic Niger Delta Avengers(2016–present) Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate(2016–present) Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force(2016–present) Niger Delta Red Squad(2016–present) Adaka Boro Avengers(2016–present) Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta(2016–present) Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders(2016–present) New Delta Avengers (2017–present) Niger Delta Marine Force(2017–present) Reformed Egbesu Fraternities Red Egbesu Water Lions(2016–present) Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta(2016–present) Egbesu Mightier Fraternity(2016–present) Biafran separatists (from 2021)'Asari Dokubo asking Niger Delta to join Biafra is a suicide mission', PM News, 17 March 2021. Accessed 18 March 2021.
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(2004–14) Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force(2003–09) Niger Delta Liberation Front(2005–14) Joint Revolutionary Council(2004–14)
Niger Delta Vigilante(2004–09)
Supported by: IPOB elements
Bandits
Pirates
Nigerian mafia Black Axe The Outlaws Eiye"Nigeria's Cults and their Role in the Niger Delta Insurgency" by Bestman Wellington, The Jamestown Foundation, 6 July 2007 Ongoing ~15,000 militants signed for presidential amnesty programOperation Juniper Shieldpart of the Global War on Terrorism (Islamist insurgency in the Sahel)(2007–present) Mauritania Tunisia Burkina Faso Nigeria Cameroon Togo Ghana Ivory Coast Benin Cape Verde Gambia Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Sierra Leone Islamic militants al-Qaeda Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin MOJWA (until 2013) AQIM Al-Mourabitoun (until 2017) Ansar al-Sharia Macina Liberation Front Ansar Dine (until 2017) Boko Haram (partially aligned with ISIL since 2015) Ansaru
ISIL Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (2015–present) Islamic State – West Africa ProvinceOngoingSomali Civil Warpart of the Somali Civil War, conflicts in the Horn of Africa, the Ethiopian–Somali conflict, war against the Islamic State, Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa, and global war on terrorism(2009–present) Somali Armed Forces
Supported by:
Non-combat support:
EUTM Somalia
UNPOS (1995–2013) UNTMIS (2025–present) UNSOA (2009–2016) UNSOS (2016–present) Independent regional forces Al-Qaeda and allies Al-Shabaab AQAP AQIM
Hizbul Islam (until 2010; 2012–2013) Alleged state allies: Multiple sources:
Multiple sources:
Quds ForceMultiple sources:
Multiple sources:
Alleged non-state allies: HouthisMultiple sources:
UN sources:
Somali pirates
(since 2015) Somalia Wilayah Allies IS-YPSomali pirates
Somaliland Armed Forces SSB Alleged support:Ongoing Merger and split between/of Hizbul Islam and al-Shabaab forces Kenyan military intervention in October 2011 Al-Shabaab becomes an official al-Qaeda affiliate in February 2012 Federal Government formed in August 2012 Formation of the Islamic State in Somalia in October 2015