U.S. House Republicans introduce landmark bill to address religious violence in Nigeria

United States House Republicans have formally introduced comprehensive legislation aimed at addressing the escalating reports of violence and religious persecution targeting Christians in Nigeria.

The proposed measure, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (H.R. 7457), seeks to strengthen U.S. monitoring, reporting, and policy responses to attacks against religious communities in the country.

The legislation outlines several major actions designed to hold perpetrators accountable and guide U.S. engagement with Nigeria:

The bill mandates that the U.S. Secretary of State submit yearly reports to Congressional committees, detailing efforts to document and respond to religious persecution in Nigeria. This provision aims to ensure sustained oversight of human rights conditions.

A contentious element of the bill directs the State Department to evaluate whether Fulani ethnic militias should be formally designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under U.S. law.

Such a designation could bring sanctions and legal restrictions on individuals affiliated with these groups, aligning them with internationally recognized extremist organizations.

The legislation requires a review of U.S. foreign assistance to Nigeria to determine whether aid may be unintentionally contributing to abuses or if conditions should be imposed to protect human rights and religious freedom.

Expanding beyond domestic violence issues, the bill calls for a review of “hostile foreign exploitation,” including illegal Chinese mining operations in Nigeria, highlighting concerns over external interference in Nigerian stability.

Lawmakers in Washington have increasingly expressed alarm at what they describe as growing attacks on religious minorities, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions, where extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani-linked militias operate.

Advocates of the legislation contend that these groups have terrorized communities, destroyed places of worship, and displaced thousands of people.

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While supporters argue that the new bill institutionalizes a stronger U.S. policy response, Nigerian government officials have pushed back against broad allegations of targeted religious persecution, noting that violence in the country affects people of multiple faiths and that religious freedom is constitutionally guaranteed in Nigeria.

The bill will undergo scrutiny in House committees before being debated in the full House of Representatives. If passed, it could reshape U.S.–Nigeria relations, potentially triggering sanctions, visa restrictions, or conditional aid aimed at improving protections for religious minorities and holding non-state actors accountable.

The Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 represents a significant step in U.S. foreign policy toward Nigeria. Its enactment could enhance documentation of religious persecution, increase diplomatic pressure on Nigerian authorities, and signal a more proactive stance by the U.S. on human rights in Africa.

Observers are watching closely as the bill moves through Congress and as the international conversation on religious freedom and security in Nigeria continues to evolve.