Lagos, Nigeria — The U. S. House of Representatives has passed an amendment proposed by Representative Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, aimed at blocking nearly $1 billion in annual aid to Nigeria.
The amendment, which was adopted by voice vote, is part of the fiscal year 2027 State Department appropriations bill and reflects growing concerns over the Nigerian government’s failure to protect Christians and other religious minorities from violence.
The measure, if ultimately enacted into law, would mark a significant shift in U. S. Foreign assistance policy, linking aid disbursement to religious freedom concerns in Africa’s most populous nation.
Steube cited the plight of Christians in Nigeria, who have faced kidnappings, killings, and displacement by Islamist extremist groups, as a central reason for the amendment. Nigeria has been a major recipient of U. S.
Foreign assistance, with the aid supporting programs ranging from healthcare and humanitarian relief to economic development and security cooperation. Since 2005, aid to Nigeria has grown from $227 million to a peak of $1. 163 billion in 2022, before dipping to $1.
035 billion in 2023 and approximately $929 million in 2024.
As of the latest reports, over $614 million has been obligated for 2025.
The amendment follows previous congressional efforts to condition U. S. Support on improvements in religious freedom.
One such proposal sought to withhold 50% of the aid until Secretary of State Marco Rubio certified that Nigeria had taken effective steps to prevent religious violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
The amendment’s passage comes amidst ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, including insurgencies by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the northeast, as well as widespread banditry and communal violence across parts of the country’s Middle Belt.
The amendment must now be reconciled with the Senate’s version of the appropriations bill and signed by President Donald Trump before it can take effect. Its fate remains uncertain in the Senate, where the debate over foreign aid and its distribution continues to heat up.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Africa.businessinsider
Source: Solomon Ekanem
