The United States (US) government has sanctioned a Nigerian businessman and three companies based in Nigeria for allegedly facilitating financial transactions connected to the terrorist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The newest sanctions, announced by the U.S. State Department, targeted a network of three people and six companies, based in Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, that allegedly helped ISIS transfer money across international borders.
“The action was taken to disrupt financial channels used by the terrorist organisation to support its operations globally,” said the department’s spokesperson, Thomas Pigott, in a statement.
Pigott said the sanctions are impacting people and companies in France, Syria, Türkiye and Nigeria.
Today’s designations target three individuals and six entities operating throughout Europe, the Middle East and West Africa that have enabled ISIS to move money across borders – exposing a network that extends from France and Syria to Türkiye and Nigeria.
“Among those designated is a France-based facilitator who provided information on the use of explosives to ISIS supporters, a Syria-based operator who used cryptocurrency to transfer funds on behalf of ISIS associates in multiple countries, including the United States, and a Nigeria-based facilitator whose money exchange businesses served as conduits for ISIS financing,” the statement added.
The Nigerian on the list is named Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad, also known as Mukhtar Adamu and Muhammad Mukhtar. U.S. authorities said he was working out of Agege, Lagos State.
The sanctions list also included three Nigerian companies. They are Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited, Lagos; Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited, Ikeja, Lagos; and Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited, Kano.
The companies were allegedly linked to Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad and an ISIS financing network, according to the U.S. Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.
Other designated entities are Alkaram Danismanlik Gayrimenkul Ic ve Dis Genel Ticaret Limited Sirketi and Spider Gayrimenkul ve Genel Ticaret Limited Sirketi in Turkey and Bitcoin Exchange Agent Idlib’s No. 1 Coin Exchange in Syria.
The steps were taken under Executive Order 13224, as amended, which allows sanctions against terrorists and those providing support to terrorist groups, the U.S. government said.
It also noted that the United States and Abuja are still working together on security and fighting against terrorism.
Nigeria participated in an operation with the United States on May 16, 2026, that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by U.S. authorities as the second-highest-ranking official in ISIS, Pigott said.
Pigott reiterated Washington’s commitment to counterterrorism efforts, saying, “Washington is committed to counterterrorism efforts.”
“We will continue to employ every diplomatic and legal tool at our disposal to hold ISIS and its supporters accountable — wherever they operate, and however they move money. “We are committed to protecting American lives and defending religious minorities and working with international partners to eliminate the threat that ISIS poses to global peace and security.
In 2004, the United States designated ISIS, formerly al-Qa’ida in Iraq, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.
The latest sanctions target designated individuals and entities and are intended to deny them access to the international financial system and disrupt channels allegedly used to finance terrorist activities.
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