The United States is considering the imposition of selective sanctions and other measures against Nigeria starting in 2026, due to the persistent persecution of Christian communities in the African country. This has been indicated by members of the US Congress and religious freedom advocates, following recent military and diplomatic actions undertaken by the US Administration.
According to ACI Prensa, Representative Riley Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, announced that he will present to President Donald Trump a report with concrete proposals to stop violence against Christians and protect affected communities. The document will include about 30 possible measures that the United States could adopt in cooperation with Nigeria, within the framework of the country’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for serious violations of religious freedom.
Moore’s office stated that the congressman will meet with Trump in January to deliver the report, prepared after a trip to Nigeria, especially to the Middle Belt region, where he met with Christians from Nigeria could face US sanctions for violence against Christians displaced by violence and residents in internal refugee camps.
Threats of sanctions and international pressure
President Trump had already publicly warned of possible actions against Nigeria after announcing its designation as CPC. In a message published on November 1, he stated that if the Nigerian government did not manage to stop the murder of Christians, the United States would suspend all aid and would not rule out military intervention. After the Christmas Day attacks, Trump reiterated his warnings, assuring that there would be “consequences” for those responsible for the violence.
The International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 requires the President of the United States to designate as CPC those countries that commit or tolerate particularly severe violations of religious freedom, including torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, and forced disappearances. This designation allows the adoption of measures ranging from diplomatic pressures to economic sanctions and visa restrictions.
Expectations of real change
Nina Shea, principal researcher at the Hudson Institute, expressed her hope that the recent US actions will push the Nigerian government to act more firmly against Islamist militants, including the confiscation of weapons and effective control of Fulani groups involved in attacks against Christians.
Shea trusts that the CPC designation in 2026 will allow the return of displaced Christians to their lands with adequate protection, as well as greater cooperation in border security to stop the entry of terrorists and weapons from the Sahel region. She also mentioned the possible imposition of visa sanctions on Nigerian officials complicit in religious freedom violations.
For his part, Sean Nelson, principal advisor for global religious freedom at Alliance Defending Freedom International, showed himself “cautiously optimistic” regarding the measures planned for 2026, emphasizing that it is the greatest effort seen in Washington to address one of the world’s most serious persecution situations. Nelson added that ADF will focus part of its work on challenging before the Supreme Court of Nigeria the blasphemy laws that even contemplate the death penalty.