WASHINGTON — The Pentagon said on Wednesday that American troops in Niger had been authorized to receive imminent-danger pay the day before the commander who oversees military missions in Africa told House lawmakers that the White House had still not approved that request.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said that the decision to include Niger in the list of combat zones where troops receive extra pay was made on Monday — and had not been communicated to Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser before his testimony the day after.

“I don’t believe the approval was processed quickly enough to make it before Gen. Waldhauser’s hearing,” a spokeswoman for the Pentagon, Maj. Sheryll I. Klinkel, said in an email.

On Tuesday, during two hours of testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, General Waldhauser said the request for danger pay for forces deployed to Niger was submitted “a while back.” He said the final decision was waiting for approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget.