US announces $3.5 million programme to track religious freedom violations in Nigeria

• The United States has announced a $3.5 million programme to support organisations documenting and reporting religious freedom abuses and violence across Nigeria.

• The US said attacks by groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and other armed militias, along with the alleged failure of authorities to respond effectively, have worsened insecurity and displacement.

• The Nigerian government has rejected claims of religious persecution, insisting that insecurity affects people of all faiths and that it remains committed to working with the US on security and counterterrorism efforts.

The United States government has unveiled a $3.5 million initiative aimed at improving the monitoring and documentation of religious freedom violations across Nigeria.

The funding opportunity, announced by the US Department of State's Office of International Religious Freedom under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, seeks to support organisations documenting attacks and abuses linked to religion or belief.

According to a notice published on May 22, 2026, the project is expected to run between 24 and 48 months, with one organisation set to receive funding through either a grant or cooperative agreement.

The programme is designed to strengthen efforts to monitor, document and report cases involving religious persecution and violence committed by both state and non-state actors in Nigeria.

"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," the notice stated.

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In the funding notice, the State Department referenced reports from civil society groups, religious leaders, journalists, academics, survivors and community members detailing violence carried out by terrorist organisations and armed groups.

The department said evidence gathered over the years points to attacks by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa (ISWAP), Fulani ethnic militias and other armed actors targeting both Christians and Muslims in different parts of the country.

The notice also raised concerns about the response of Nigerian authorities to such attacks.

"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 notice said.

According to the US government, the alleged lack of effective intervention has contributed to a culture of impunity, enabling further violence, killings and displacement of affected communities.

The State Department further alleged that members of Nigeria's security forces have, in some instances, carried out operations inside places of worship while pursuing suspected criminals.

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"There are also credible reports of Nigerian security personnel raiding places of worship and injuring clergy and congregants in search of alleged criminals," it stated.

The programme is expected to support documentation efforts that could improve accountability and provide evidence for advocacy and future policy decisions.

The funding announcement comes months after US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in November 2025 over allegations of religious freedom violations and the persecution of Christians.

A CPC designation is one of the strongest measures available under the US International Religious Freedom Act and is reserved for countries accused of engaging in or tolerating particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

As part of the new programme, applicants are expected to focus on Nigeria's Middle Belt region, an area that has experienced recurring farmer-herder conflicts, communal violence and attacks linked to armed groups. Organisations applying for the grant must identify at least four states where project activities will be carried out.

The funding opportunity is open to US and foreign non-profit organisations, higher education institutions, public international organisations and for-profit entities, although the State Department noted a preference for working with non-profit groups.

Applications for the programme will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 9, 2026.

The Federal Government has consistently rejected allegations that Christians are being systematically persecuted in Nigeria. Authorities have maintained that the country's security challenges affect Nigerians regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Government officials have repeatedly argued that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal conflicts are criminal and security issues rather than religiously motivated campaigns.

Nigeria has also continued to engage with the United States on counterterrorism efforts, security sector reforms and regional stability initiatives aimed at tackling insurgency and violent extremism.