The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa is set to hold a major open hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to examine President Donald Trump’s recent decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a move that has reignited global debate over religion-based violence in the country.
If affirmed by the US Senate, the CPC status could open the door to sanctions against Nigerian officials accused of enabling religious persecution. It may also restrict certain forms of bilateral assistance and send a strong signal to the international community that threats to religious freedom in Nigeria remain deeply concerning.
The hearing will take place at 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey. It will be streamed live for public viewing.
Two panels of witnesses are expected to testify, including top US State Department officials, senior policy experts, and Nigerian religious leaders. According to an invitation sent to members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the first panel will feature Jonathan Pratt, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of African Affairs, and Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
The second panel will include the Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom, Nina Shea, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Makurdi Catholic Diocese, and Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
The session aims to scrutinize the extent of religious persecution in Nigeria and evaluate potential US policy responses, including the possibility of targeted sanctions, expanded humanitarian support, and deeper collaboration with Nigerian authorities to curb violence in affected regions.
President Trump’s decision on October 31, 2025, to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern has drawn significant international attention. He cited what he described as severe violations of religious freedom, particularly involving attacks on Christian communities in northern and central Nigeria. Trump warned that the United States could take drastic action, including potential military involvement, if the Nigerian government failed to address the killings.
He also threatened to suspend all forms of US aid to Nigeria if President Bola Tinubu’s administration did not take decisive steps to halt the alleged persecution of Christians.
