US Invests $3.5m to Track Religious Abuses in Nigeria

The United States Department of State has launched a funding initiative worth $3.5 million, approximately N5 billion, to enhance the documentation and reporting of religious freedom violations in Nigeria. This move is part of the Office of International Religious Freedom's efforts under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour to strengthen reporting on attacks linked to religion and belief across the country. According to the notice of funding opportunity released on May 22, 2026, the programme will run for a period of 24 to 48 months, with one award anticipated under either a grant or cooperative agreement. The primary goal of the project is to improve efforts to monitor and document abuses committed by both state and non-state actors in Nigeria. The notice stated, 'The Office of International Religious Freedom announces an open competition for organisations interested in submitting applications for projects that improve documentation and reporting efforts on religious freedom abuses in Nigeria, for accountability, advocacy, and memorialisation.' It highlighted violence linked to Boko Haram, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed groups, noting that these attacks have affected both Christians and Muslims. 'Documenters, human rights and religious freedom advocates, religious leaders and community members, academics, journalists, and survivors have contributed to an evidence base that illustrates the extreme levels of violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed actors against Christians and Muslims,' the notice said. The US government also expressed concerns over the inadequate responses by Nigerian authorities to attacks on faith communities. 'Civil society reports indicate that authorities regularly fail to respond in a timely or effective manner to violent attacks against civilians and faith communities, and particularly attacks against Christians,' the document stated. It further alleged that some security personnel had raided places of worship while searching for suspected criminals. 'There are also credible reports of Nigerian security personnel raiding places of worship and injuring clergy and congregants in search of alleged criminals,' it said. The funding initiative follows President Donald Trump's decision to designate Nigeria as a 'Country of Particular Concern' over religious freedom issues. 'President Trump's decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern placed a spotlight on the severity of these longstanding and worsening problems,' the document stated. The IRF said proposals submitted under the programme should aim to improve accountability for violations through 'monitoring, documenting, and reporting of such abuses committed by either state or non-state actors in Nigeria.' Applicants are expected to prioritise activities in the Middle Belt and identify at least four states where projects would be implemented. The funding opportunity is open to foreign and US-based non-profit organisations, public international organisations, higher education institutions, and for-profit entities, although the department said it prefers working with non-profit groups. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Trump designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern in November 2025 over the alleged persecution of Christians. However, the Federal Government has rejected allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity affected all citizens regardless of faith, while also stating continued cooperation with the US on counterterrorism and security reforms.