US Congressional Hearing to Examine Christian Persecution in Nigeria

The United States House of Representatives has scheduled a congressional hearing for November 12, 2026, to examine alleged persecution of Christians and insecurity in Nigeria's Middle Belt. The hearing, titled 'One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria's Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt', will be chaired by Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa. Smith's office stated that the hearing will focus on the Nigerian government's efforts to protect vulnerable communities, tackle religious violence, and bring perpetrators to justice.

The hearing will assess measures taken by the Nigerian government to address religious persecution and attacks by extremist groups, including Boko Haram. Lawmakers will also examine possible steps the United States could take to ensure that Nigerian authorities prevent violence against Christians and non-radical Muslim communities. This hearing marks the 14th congressional hearing on alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria chaired by Smith, a Republican representative from New Jersey.

The hearing will feature two panels of witnesses, including Frank Garcia, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, and Riley Barnes, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labour. Other witnesses include Nina Shea, senior fellow and director of the Centre for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, Ryan Brown, chief executive officer of Open Doors US, and Oge Onubogu, director and senior fellow of the Africa Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

The hearing will begin at 11am at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC, and will also be streamed live on YouTube. Other members of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa are expected to participate. Smith has been among several US lawmakers who have raised allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria. In November 2025, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa scheduled an investigation into President Donald Trump's redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

Nigeria was initially designated as a Country of Particular Concern in 2020 by Trump, but was removed from the list by his successor, President Joe Biden. However, on October 31, 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, citing alleged severe violations of religious freedom, particularly attacks against Christians. Trump claimed that Christianity was facing an existential threat in Nigeria, alleging that thousands of Christians had been killed by radical Islamist groups.

Trump also threatened to halt US aid and assistance to Nigeria and warned of possible military intervention if the administration of President Bola Tinubu failed to address the killings. The US and Nigeria have since entered into a military partnership targeting terrorist groups operating in the country's vast northern region. This partnership aims to address the growing security concerns in Nigeria and the wider region.

The upcoming congressional hearing is expected to shed more light on the situation in Nigeria and possible steps the US can take to support efforts to protect Christians and address religious violence. The hearing will provide a platform for lawmakers to engage with witnesses and discuss potential solutions to the complex security challenges facing Nigeria.

Key points

• US lawmakers to assess Nigeria's efforts to protect Christians and address religious violence in a congressional hearing on November 12.
• The hearing will examine possible steps the US could take to support Nigerian authorities in preventing violence against Christians and non-radical Muslim communities.
• The US and Nigeria have entered into a military partnership targeting terrorist groups operating in the country's northern region.