U.S. Designates Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” Over Religious-Freedom Violations

November 1, 2025

Washington, D.C. / Abuja

The United States Department of State announced that Nigeria has been designated a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, citing what it called “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.” 

President Donald Trump, in a social-media post on October 31, asserted that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter…” and declared Nigeria a CPC. 

Key Details:

• The CPC designation is one of the U.S.’s most serious diplomatic tools in the realm of religious-freedom policy. Under the International Religious Freedom Act, a country may be named a CPC if its government engages in or tolerates particularly severe violations of religious freedom, including torture, prolonged detention without charges, enforced disappearances, or other flagrant denials of life and liberty. 

• Nigeria had previously held CPC status during part of the previous U.S. administration, but was removed in 2021. 

• The U.S. decision follows reports indicating thousands of Christians killed in Nigeria over recent years, with many in the Middle Belt and northeast regions. 

The CPC designation follows many Christians, including the Hon. William Wagner (Ret), WFFC Distinguished Chair, calling on the State Department to take this important action.