US Announces $3.5 Million Fund to Track Religious Freedom Violations in Nigeria

US Announces $3.5 Million Fund to Track Religious Freedom Violations in Nigeria

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

The initiative, unveiled through the Office of International Religious Freedom under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, comes months after former U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom in November 2025. 

According to a Notice of Funding Opportunity released on May 22, 2026, the programme will run for between 24 and 48 months and is expected to support projects that improve monitoring, documentation, and reporting of attacks linked to religion and belief. 

The U.S. government said the initiative seeks to strengthen accountability, advocacy, and memorialisation efforts by supporting organisations capable of gathering evidence of abuses committed by both state and non-state actors. 

The funding notice referenced violence involving groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed actors, noting that both Christians and Muslims have been affected by the violence. 

The State Department also criticised Nigerian authorities for what it described as inadequate responses to attacks on faith 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,” the notice stated, adding that such failures contribute to “widespread impunity for violence.” 

Projects funded under the programme are expected to focus on Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, with applicants required to identify at least four states where activities will be implemented. Applications are open to non-profit organisations, public international bodies, higher education institutions, and other eligible entities, with submissions due by July 9, 2026. 

However, the Nigerian Federal Government has rejected allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity in the country affects citizens of all faiths and continues to be addressed through ongoing security and counterterrorism efforts. 

Source: Punch