Nigeria could soon be designated a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) by the United States, a label currently applied to only one other African nation, Eritrea.
In its 2025 Annual Report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended Nigeria’s re-designation, citing the enforcement of blasphemy laws in 12 northern states and at the federal level, which have led to prosecutions and imprisonment of individuals accused of insulting religion.
The report also highlighted violent attacks by non-state actors, including Fulani herders, armed gangs, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), that continue to target religious communities.
The push gained momentum last month when several Republican lawmakers wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to place Nigeria back on the CPC list.
They argued that what they described as “unchecked acts of violence and terrorism” against religious minorities warranted stronger U.S. action.
If approved, Nigeria would join Eritrea as the only African countries under the designation, a move Abuja insists is based on exaggerated claims that misrepresent the country’s complex security challenges.
U.S. lawmakers renew pressure on Nigeria
In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Senators Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, James Lankford, Pete Ricketts, and Ted Budd alleged “continued unchecked acts of violence and terrorism against religious minorities” in Nigeria.
They cited a string of incidents including the May 2024 abduction of 160 children in Niger State by Ansaru militants and the killing of 200 Christians in Benue State in June 2025.
The senators argue that these attacks mirror patterns previously flagged by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which in March recommended that Nigeria be returned to the CPC list.
The designation would give the U.S. President authority to impose penalties, including sanctions, to pressure the Nigerian government into addressing religious violence.
Nigeria was previously added to the list in December 2020 under Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but removed in 2021 by Antony Blinken.
Nigeria pushes back, says violence not one-sided
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims of a genocide against Christians, describing such allegations as “unfounded and misleading.”
President Bola Tinubu recently emphasized that while religious communities have suffered attacks, the violence stems from terrorism and banditry rather than targeted persecution.
Speaking in Owerri, Imo State, on September 30, 2025, he stressed that no religion is under siege in the country, stating:
“Let me also say this clearly, Nigeria is a proud, sovereign nation built on the faith and resilience of its people. Here, no faith is under siege, no community is excluded. Our churches, mosques, and traditional shrines stand side by side, not as rivals, but as symbols of the unity that binds us.”
Tinubu also urged Nigerians to resist external narratives that seek to divide the nation, asserting:
“We must never allow outsiders to tell us who we are or sow division among us. We are Nigerians, and we will stand together.”
Indeed, several mass killings have also occurred in mosques, with Muslim worshippers among the victims. Nigerian officials caution that framing the crisis as exclusively religious risks inflaming sectarian tensions, overlooking its roots in insecurity, resource conflicts, and weak governance.
Africa’s place on the CPC list
Currently, Eritrea is the only African nation designated as a CPC. Its inclusion is tied to systematic repression of religious groups, including indefinite detention of clergy and bans on unregistered faiths.
If Nigeria is added, it would join a list that also includes Iran, China, North Korea, Myanmar, and Saudi Arabia.
The prospect of Nigeria’s return raises concerns about U.S.-Africa relations, with Abuja wary of being stigmatized alongside countries accused of institutional persecution.
Analysts warn that while the U.S. is right to spotlight violence, an unbalanced narrative risks undermining cooperation on security and humanitarian efforts in West Africa.
