The United States Congress has urged Nigeria to divest from Russian military equipment and instead procure American defence systems, linking the recommendation to broader efforts to deepen bilateral security cooperation and curb violence affecting Christian communities and other vulnerable groups across the country.
The position is contained in a report transmitted to the White House following hearings by the U.S. House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations on religious violence and insecurity in Nigeria. Lawmakers argued that expanding U.S.–Nigeria defence ties would strengthen counter-terrorism operations, improve civilian protection, and align Nigeria more closely with Western security architecture.
The report, titled Ending the Persecution of Christians in Nigeria, describes Nigeria as one of the world’s most dangerous environments for Christians, citing attacks by jihadist groups, bandits and armed militias, particularly in the Middle Belt and parts of the North-West. It recommends a structured bilateral security arrangement under which Nigeria would receive U.S. military equipment, training, intelligence support and financing in exchange for reforms and operational commitments against violent groups.
Beyond the arms issue, the U.S. Congress proposed a range of measures, including targeted sanctions and visa restrictions against individuals implicated in religious violence, disarmament programmes for armed herder militias, and enhanced protection for farming communities displaced by attacks. The report also raised concerns about alleged foreign funding streams for militias, including illicit mining networks, and called for stronger Nigerian enforcement action.
The congressional push follows Washington’s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over religious-freedom violations — a status that enables sanctions and other policy tools. U.S. officials argue that closer defence cooperation and standardisation of equipment with Western systems would improve Nigeria’s capacity to counter insurgents such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), while reducing reliance on Russian and other non-Western suppliers.
Nigeria has long operated a mixed arsenal sourced from Russia, China, Europe and the United States, including helicopters, armoured vehicles and small arms. Analysts note that a shift away from Russian platforms would have major logistical and financial implications, requiring retraining, new maintenance chains and interoperability adjustments across the armed forces.
Abuja has consistently rejected characterisations of violence in Nigeria as religious persecution, maintaining that insecurity affects both Muslim and Christian communities and is driven largely by terrorism, banditry and farmer–herder conflict rather than state-tolerated sectarian targeting. Nigerian officials have also emphasised sovereignty concerns in response to external pressure on internal security policy.
Security experts say the U.S. recommendations reflect broader geopolitical competition in Africa, where Washington, Moscow and Beijing are all seeking defence partnerships and influence. They add that Nigeria — Africa’s largest military spender and a key regional power — remains strategically significant to Western counter-terrorism interests in the Sahel and Lake Chad basin.
While the U.S. Congress recommendations are not binding on Nigeria, they signal potential future conditionalities on military assistance, arms sales and security cooperation. The Nigerian government has not formally responded to the latest report, but officials have previously stated that defence procurement decisions will continue to reflect national security needs, cost considerations and existing operational capabilities.
For now, the report underscores intensifying international scrutiny of Nigeria’s security crisis — and the growing intersection of human-rights concerns, counter-terrorism strategy and great-power competition shaping external engagement with Africa’s most populous nation.
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