US approves $3.5m funding to monitor religious-related violence in Nigeria

Monday, June 1, 2026 - US approves $3.5m funding for documentation of religion-related violence in Nigeria

The United States Department of State has announced a $3.5 million funding programme aimed at improving the documentation and reporting of religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

The initiative, unveiled by the Office of International Religious Freedom under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, seeks applications from organisations capable of strengthening efforts to monitor and document religion-related abuses across the country.

According to the funding notice released on May 22, 2026, the programme will run for between 24 and 48 months, with one grant or cooperative agreement expected to be awarded. The State Department said the project is intended to improve accountability, advocacy and memorialisation efforts through better documentation of abuses committed by both state and non-state actors.

“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.

The document referenced violence linked to groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa and other armed actors, noting that both Christians and Muslims have been affected by attacks.

“Documenters, human rights and religious freedom advocates, religious leaders and community members, academics, journalists, and survivors have contributed to an evidence base that illustrates the extreme levels of violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed actors against Christians and Muslims,” the notice said.

The US government also expressed concern over what it described as inadequate responses by Nigerian authorities to attacks on religious communities. “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 document stated.

It added, “This leads to widespread impunity for violence which encourages more violence, leading to further abuses and displacements.”

The notice further alleged that security personnel had, in some cases, raided places of worship while pursuing suspected criminals. “There are also credible reports of Nigerian security personnel raiding places of worship and injuring clergy and congregants in search of alleged criminals,” it said.

According to the State Department, the funding initiative follows President Donald Trump's decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom issues. “President Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern placed a spotlight on the severity of these longstanding and worsening problems,” the document stated.

The programme is open to US and foreign non-profit organizations, public international organisations, higher education institutions and for-profit entities, although the department said it prefers working with non-profit groups. Applicants are expected to focus activities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region and identify at least four states where the project will be implemented. Applications are due by July 9, 2026.

The Nigerian government has consistently rejected allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths and stating that it continues to cooperate with the United States on counterterrorism efforts and security reforms.