US Moves to Counter Chinese Influence in Nigeria

Sanni Marvelous

The United States Congress has unveiled a sweeping set of recommendations aimed at reshaping its strategic engagement with Nigeria, directly tying efforts to curb sectarian violence to a broader push to counter Chinese influence in Africa’s most populous nation.

The recommendations, led by Representative Riley Moore, head of the recent U.S. congressional delegation to Nigeria, call for a bilateral security agreement with Abuja, expanded counterterrorism cooperation, sanctions against perpetrators of anti-Christian violence, and targeted action against what lawmakers described as “the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations.”

The proposals followed a congressional investigation into what the delegation described as a sustained campaign of violence against Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions.

In the document, U.S. lawmakers declared that after decades of violence, “Nigeria is the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian.” They said Christians face “ongoing violent attacks from well-armed Fulani militias and terrorist groups,” resulting in “the death and murder of tens of thousands of Christians, including pastors and priests, the destruction of thousands of churches and schools, as well as kidnappings.”

The delegation argued that blasphemy laws in some northern states are used to “silence speech and dissent, target Christians and minorities, and justify so-called ‘convictions’ without due process.”

Moore and his colleagues said Washington must now act decisively. “Strike a bilateral agreement between the United States and the Government of Nigeria to protect vulnerable Christian communities from violent persecution, eliminate jihadist terror activity in the region, further economic cooperation, and counter adversaries in the region, including the Chinese Communist Party and Russian Federation,” the report recommended.

The recommendations span security, economic, diplomatic and financial measures.
They urge Nigeria to “Continue and expand security cooperation with the United States, including by divestment of Russian military equipment for American military equipment through sales and financing.”

They also call for “Comprehensive counter-terrorism cooperation to rid the region of Foreign Terrorist Organizations that pose a direct threat to the American homeland.”
In a direct reference to Beijing’s footprint in Nigeria’s extractive industries, the report calls for efforts to “Counteract the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilizing practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias.”

The delegation further recommended invoking Country of Particular Concern (CPC) presidential directives to “name and shame perpetrators of violence,” implementing sanctions on groups and individuals who “participate in, or tolerate violence against, Christians,” and continuing visa restrictions for those involved in violations of religious freedom.

They also proposed reviewing whether certain militia groups should be classified as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and demanding “the repeal of sharia codes and criminal anti-blasphemy laws.”

The recommendations follow months of congressional activity. The U.S. Congress commended President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), a status reserved for governments that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.

According to the document, the President directed Moore, alongside House committee leaders, to investigate the persecution and slaughter of Nigerian Christians. Lawmakers hosted investigative roundtables, held hearings with government and civil society witnesses, and led a congressional delegation to Nigeria to assess the situation firsthand.

That engagement came amid heightened U.S. military and security involvement in Nigeria. In recent years, Washington has supported counterterrorism operations, including intelligence-sharing efforts that preceded high-profile strikes on terrorist camps during the Christmas period. The U.S. has also deployed military personnel most recently a batch of about 100 soldiers—to provide advisory and operational support to Nigerian forces combating extremist groups.

Much of the proposed intervention centers on Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where Christian farming communities have clashed with armed herders and militant groups.

The report calls for supporting early-warning systems, deploying capable security forces to enable “rapid and effective response,” and developing “a demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration program to address illicit weapons and support safer communities.”

It also urges backing Nigeria’s new Ministry of Livestock and meaningful land reforms to address long-standing farmer-herder conflicts that have fueled violence.

On the financial front, the delegation recommended stronger anti-money laundering efforts, disruption of terrorist financing networks, and Treasury Department programs to “strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system which will safeguard U.S. national security and enhance the favorable balance of trade for the United States.”

Beyond religious freedom concerns, the document frames Nigeria as a strategic battleground in a larger geopolitical contest. Lawmakers explicitly linked security cooperation to reducing reliance on Russian military hardware and limiting Chinese economic penetration.

They also proposed leveraging trade measures, including reviewing “points of leverage to compel Fulani herdsmen to disarm,” potentially by blocking exports of beef and cattle-related products to certain countries.

The delegation called on international partners—including France, Hungary and the United Kingdom—to support the effort.

For Washington, Nigeria remains a critical partner in West Africa, both as a security ally and as a major economic player. But the tone of the recommendations signals a shift: future cooperation may hinge more directly on measurable progress against sectarian violence and accountability for perpetrators.

As the report concluded, the United States and Nigeria should “take this moment to redefine a new strategic partnership to make America – and Nigeria – safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

Whether Abuja embraces that framework—or resists it—could shape the next phase of U.S.-Nigeria relations, and determine how far Washington is willing to go in confronting both religious violence and Beijing’s growing influence in Africa’s largest economy.