The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa will hold an open hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to examine President Donald Trump’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom.
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If ratified by the Senate, the CPC designation would allow the US to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials found complicit in religious persecution and restrict certain forms of bilateral assistance. It also signals to the international community that religious freedom in Nigeria remains under serious threat.
The hearing, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and available via live webcast, will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ). Two panels of witnesses are expected, including senior US State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.
Panelists will include Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official of the Bureau of African Affairs, and Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. The second panel features Nina Shea, Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Catholic Diocese; and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
The hearing will review the scope of religious persecution in Nigeria and explore potential US policy responses, including targeted sanctions, humanitarian assistance, and collaboration with Nigerian authorities to prevent further violence.
President Trump’s October 31, 2025, CPC designation of Nigeria cited severe violations of religious freedom, particularly against Christians, and threatened US intervention or cessation of aid should Nigeria fail to address the issue. Trump asserted that thousands of Christians were being killed by radical Islamist groups and warned of possible military action.
Reacting, President Bola Tinubu described the claims as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious reality, affirming that the country remains a constitutional democracy committed to religious liberty.
US lawmakers have continued to emphasize alleged religious persecution. Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) noted that while some Muslims are also victims, Christians reportedly face a five-to-one casualty ratio. He highlighted blasphemy laws and ongoing persecution in parts of Nigeria as evidence of the problem, stating the US has a role in addressing the issue through sanctions and other measures.
The issue has also drawn global attention. Pope Leo XIV voiced concern over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Sudan, calling for prayers for peace and solidarity.
Meanwhile, US Congressman Bill Huizenga indicated that while military intervention is unlikely, the CPC designation signals the need for action against religious violence, with economic sanctions being a key tool to deter extremist groups.
Domestically, President Tinubu has taken steps to restore peace and foster inter-communal harmony, particularly in Plateau State. He dispatched Dr Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement, to mediate between Christian clerics, Fulani Miyetti Allah leaders, and local youth councils.
During the visit, tensions stemming from the destruction of Agha Farm in Gyel, Jos South, were resolved, with a N500,000 compensation paid and an undertaking signed by all parties to embrace peace.
The hearing on November 20 is expected to shed light on religious freedom in Nigeria and possible US responses, as global and domestic actors continue to grapple with rising insecurity and inter-religious tensions in the country.
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