The United States Congress has declared Nigeria the deadliest country in the world for Christians and called for a bilateral protection pact to safeguard vulnerable communities, curb jihadist terrorism, and counter foreign influence from China and Russia.
The recommendations were made in a joint statement by the House Appropriations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, shared on X by Congressman Riley Moore on Tuesday.
Titled “Ending the Persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” the statement praised President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), describing the move as “decisive in holding perpetrators of violence accountable.”
The US had placed Nigeria on the CPC list in 2020 under Trump, a designation later removed by former President Joe Biden. In October 2026, Trump reinstated Nigeria on the list, citing escalating persecution of Christians.
“After decades of persecution, Nigeria is the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian,” the Congress statement said. It added that Christians face “ongoing violent attacks from well-armed Fulani militias and terrorist groups, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Christians, including pastors and priests, the destruction of thousands of churches and schools, as well as kidnappings.”
The committees also criticised blasphemy laws in northern Nigeria, saying they are “used to silence speech and dissent, target Christians and minorities, and justify so-called ‘convictions’ without due process.”
Congress called on Nigeria to show stronger political will. “Although the Government of Nigeria is a key partner for the United States, such a government must demonstrate the political will, including by allocating its own financial resources, to immediately reduce and then eliminate the violence,” the statement read.
The lawmakers proposed a bilateral security and economic pact between the US and Nigeria. They urged Trump to “strike a bilateral agreement to protect vulnerable Christian communities, eliminate jihadist terror activity, enhance economic cooperation, and counter adversaries in the region, including the Chinese Communist Party and the Russian Federation.”
The proposed agreement includes co-funding humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons, establishing early-warning mechanisms to prevent attacks, removing armed militias from farmlands, and restoring agricultural productivity. It also recommends expanded security cooperation, technical support to demobilise militias, support for Nigeria’s Ministry of Livestock, and strengthening the country’s security forces.
Congress further called for comprehensive counter-terrorism collaboration, the provision of excess US defence equipment, and measures to counter “hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations” that allegedly fund Fulani militias.
Other recommendations include visa restrictions and asset freezes against perpetrators of violence, repeal of Sharia criminal codes and anti-blasphemy laws, audits of US aid effectiveness in Nigeria, and engagement with international partners such as France, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.
The committees described the recommendations as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity for real change” following Nigeria’s redesignation as a CPC.
