United States lawmakers have raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s handling of religious freedom and its recent lobbying activities in Washington, DC. The discussion came during a congressional hearing on Wednesday examining countries where religious rights are reportedly under threat.
At the session, lawmakers scrutinized Nigeria’s human rights record, challenging the government’s claims that religious freedom is protected. Critics argued that the country continues to experience violence against religious minorities, particularly Christians, despite official reassurances.
Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, cited reports from Genocide Watch, describing Nigeria as a “killing field of defenseless Christians.” He acknowledged the US government’s recent actions, including the designation of Nigeria under the Commission on International Religious Freedom (CPC), saying, “What was wrong in our foreign policy has been righted with the President’s CPC designation. We commend and thank him for that action.”
While recognizing small steps by Nigeria toward improving religious freedom, Smith sharply criticized the government’s $9 million lobbying contract with the Washington-based firm DCI Group. He argued that such deals reflect a “culture of denial” among Nigerian officials rather than genuine efforts to address human rights concerns.
In addition, Matthew Tonlagha, vice-chairman of Tantita Security Services, secured a separate lobbying agreement in December with Valcour Global Public Strategy for $120,000 per month to “strengthen the bilateral relationship” between the US and Nigeria. Smith expressed concern that these contracts were being used to craft narratives aimed at downplaying criticism rather than addressing issues on the ground.
“I am deeply concerned that Nigeria has hired DCI to the tune of $9 million — that’s $750,000 a month — while a Nigerian billionaire has entered into a $120,000-a-month contract with Valcour to influence Congress and the Executive Branch,” Smith said. “These firms are excellent at creating polished talking points that obscure reality instead of promoting true religious freedom.”
During the hearing, Joaquin Castro questioned whether US policy and actions in Nigeria had achieved meaningful results. He suggested that while previous administrations claimed to act in defense of Christians, they simultaneously reduced support for initiatives that would directly combat discrimination against religious communities.
The CPC redesignation of Nigeria was also debated. Some lawmakers dismissed it as a largely symbolic “name and shame” measure, while others contended that it successfully refocused international attention on Nigeria’s religious freedom challenges. The discussion highlighted persistent tensions between official narratives, foreign lobbying efforts, and the lived realities of religious minorities in Nigeria.
