WASHINGTON (XOL Africa) — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a spending bill that would condition half of U.S. assistance to Nigeria on the country’s measurable efforts to protect Christians from religiously motivated violence, a move that could significantly alter U.S.-Nigeria relations if enacted into law.
The provision is included in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) Appropriations Act, sponsored by Republican Rep. Riley M. Moore of West Virginia. Moore said the measure is consistent with President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy agenda.
The House also approved an amendment by Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida that would go further by withholding all U.S. aid to Nigeria until the government demonstrates progress in protecting Christians and addressing religious violence.
“My amendment to withhold 100% of U.S. aid to Nigeria until its government stops the slaughter of Christians has passed,” Steube said in a post on X.
“American taxpayers should never bankroll governments that turn a blind eye while Christians are abducted, tortured, and murdered.”
Speaking on the House floor, Steube accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christians and other religious minorities from extremist violence.
“Nigeria has faced a horrific wave of violence that its corrupt government has failed to address,” Steube said.
“For years, and especially in recent months, Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria have been subjected to violence and terrorism at the hands of extremists operating with impunity.”
He alleged that Christian women and girls continue to be abducted, assaulted, tortured and killed, while churches have been destroyed and entire communities displaced.
Steube argued that if the bill’s provisions justified withholding half of U.S. assistance, they also warranted suspending all aid until Nigeria demonstrates measurable improvements.
“This is not about punishing the Nigerian people,” he said.
“It is about demanding accountability for their government’s complacency and ensuring that our foreign aid is leveraged to defend, reflect, and uphold American values.”
He added that “foreign aid should never be a reward for failure.”
Moore said the legislation is intended to hold the Nigerian government accountable for persistent attacks on Christian communities, particularly violence attributed to armed Fulani groups, while strengthening congressional oversight of U.S. foreign assistance.
“Christians in Nigeria continue to endure horrific violence, murder, and persecution while a majority of the world turns a blind eye to their suffering,” Moore said in a statement after the bill’s passage.
He added that “President Trump has taken bold actions to strike the terrorists in Nigeria, and this bill sends a clear message that the United States will continue to stand with persecuted Christians across the globe, especially in Nigeria.”
According to Moore, the legislation conditions U.S. assistance on Nigeria making “tangible progress” in protecting Christian communities, including addressing threats posed by armed Fulani groups and facilitating the return of internally displaced people to their ancestral communities.
The bill also provides funding for police training and accountability initiatives in Nigeria and directs the State Department to report to Congress and the president on additional measures needed to address targeted violence against Christians.
In addition, the legislation prioritizes law enforcement cooperation with Nigeria, expands anti-human trafficking efforts and increases oversight of U.S. foreign assistance programs.
Beyond Nigeria, the broader appropriations measure includes funding to combat ritual killings and organ trafficking in Africa, restricts the use of federal funds for censorship activities targeting American citizens, and prioritizes efforts to counter threats from China, Iran, the Taliban and transnational criminal organizations. It also eliminates funding for several Biden-era climate, diversity, equity and inclusion, and gender-related initiatives.
The legislation must still pass the Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump before becoming law. The Senate could amend the measure, requiring further negotiations before a final version is sent to the president.
