The U.S. president restores the African nation’s status as a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’ suggesting further pressure to protect Christians in Muslim areas.
Christian advocacy groups across the United States hailed President Donald Trump’s Oct. 31 decision to again designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to rising attacks on Christians in Africa’s most populous nation.
The action restores Nigeria to the U.S. government’s highest tier for religious-freedom offenders, a status the country last held in late 2020. Trump originally authorized the listing that year following years of violent persecution by Islamist terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the ISIS–West Africa.
“This is very good to see,” wrote Tony Perkins, former chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), on social media.
“During my time as chairman of @USCIRF under President Trump’s first administration, we were able to obtain this CPC designation on Nigeria because of its atrocious record of tolerating religious persecution. The incoming Biden administration immediately reversed the decision. Elections have life and death consequences. ”Perkins heads the Washington-based Family Research Council but remains active in global religious freedom issues.
Commission Chair Vicky Hartzler said: “We applaud @POTUS for making Nigeria a CPC due to its egregious violations of [freedom of religion or belief]. The Trump administration can now use the various presidential actions outlined in [the International Religious Freedom Act] to incentivize Nigeria to protect its citizens and hold perpetrators accountable.”
A CPC designation authorizes the U.S. government to impose or threaten sanctions, suspend security cooperation, or restrict economic assistance until the offending nation improves its record. For Nigeria, a leading oil exporter and Africa’s largest economy, the listing could deter investment and complicate bilateral defense programs aimed at countering terrorism in the Sahel region.
Christian organizations that had urged the White House to act—including Voice of the Martyrs and International Christian Concern (ICC)—expressed gratitude while warning that the persecution crisis remains acute. One Nigerian civil liberties group estimates more than 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009.
“I’m thankful that the U.S. government will now acknowledge the great suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters in northern Nigeria,” said Todd Nettleton, vice president of message for Voice of the Martyrs.
“Hopefully this designation will lead to more protection for Christians in Nigeria. While the south part of Africa’s most prosperous nation is usually safe for believers in Jesus, the north part is a much different story. Our staff and contacts regularly tell us of the severe persecution of those who follow Christ. Pastors and church leaders are especially targeted.”
