American rapper Nicki Minaj explains why she speaks up for Christians in Nigeria, reveals her pastor is Nigerian

• Nicki Minaj says her Nigerian pastor gave her a personal connection to Nigeria and influenced her interest in the country.

• The rapper says reports about the treatment of Christians prompted her to speak out and urges other celebrities to join the conversation.

• Her latest comments follow previous statements at a UN-related event and a Turning Point USA gathering, amid disagreement over claims of systematic Christian persecution in Nigeria.

American rapper Nicki Minaj has explained why she has been speaking out about what she describes as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, saying her pastor is Nigerian and that she wants more public figures to join her.

In a recently circulated video from her appearance at the X Takeover event in Austin, Texas, Minaj said her pastor first gave her a personal link to the country. "I have a link to Nigeria because of him," she said, adding that she also has many Nigerian fans, known as Barbz.

She said what drew her to speak, however, was what she began seeing about how Christians were being treated there. She asked why no one was making a "big deal" of it, and said that when subjects aren't considered "cool" to talk about, people often stay quiet.

Minaj then urged other celebrities and influencers to "come aboard the train" and speak out about what is happening to Christians in Nigeria, and said she looks forward to doing more for the cause.

The video is not the first time she has spoken on the issue. She had earlier shared a screenshot of US President Donald Trump's 31 October 2025 post saying Christianity faces an "existential threat" in Nigeria. 

In November 2025, she spoke at a UN-related event in New York, where she claimed Christians in Nigeria were being targeted, driven from their homes and killed, and said her call was not about taking sides or dividing people. On 23 November 2025, she shared a prayer on X for hostages abducted in Nigeria and Cameroon.

In December, in a conversation with Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest, she also said her pastor is Nigerian and promised to speak up for Christians "wherever they are in this world."

The Federal Government has consistently rejected claims of a coordinated or systematic persecution of Christians, saying insecurity affects Nigerians of all faiths. Some international outlets, including Rolling Stone, have also questioned the scale and framing of the claims.

The latest video drew reactions from Nigerians on social media, with many focusing on her mention of a Nigerian pastor.

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