Why It Matters

A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on Nigeria, published July 10, lays bare a sharp pivot in U.S. policy toward one of Africa's most strategically important nations, with implications for counterterrorism, humanitarian aid, and American influence in the region.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, largest democracy, and top oil producer. It is also the United States' second-largest trade partner in Sub-Saharan Africa and has historically ranked among the top 10 recipients of U.S. aid globally, according to the report.

In October, the administration designated Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" for religious freedom, citing concerns over Christian persecution. The designation has strained bilateral relations, as Nigerian officials refuted allegations of Christian genocide. In December, the administration added Nigeria to a partial suspension of entry list, blocking B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.

Simultaneously, the administration directed military strikes in northwest Nigeria in December, targeting Islamic State elements. These represent the first-ever U.S. military strikes in Nigeria, authorized under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force.

The Big Picture

In 2025, Nigeria experienced its deadliest year from jihadist violence since Boko Haram's height in 2014-2015. The Islamic State West Africa Province has eclipsed Boko Haram as Nigeria's primary jihadist threat and may have up to 12,000 members with foreign fighters and Middle Eastern trainers. Islamist militants from the Sahel have expanded their operations into Nigeria. In the northeast, conflict between Islamist insurgents and government forces has killed tens of thousands of civilians and displaced millions. Over 900,000 internally displaced persons in the northeast live in overcrowded camps, heavily dependent on aid for basic food needs.

Yet the framing of protecting Christians as a counterterrorism goal is absent from the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Africa Command's Posture Statement. The U.S. intelligence community's 2026 Annual Threat Assessment did not identify Africa-based terrorist groups as the most likely to support attacks on the U.S. homeland.

Routinely, Nigeria previously received over $300 million annually in U.S. assistance, but it has dropped to under $100 million since 2025. Conflict-mitigation programs in the Middle Belt were terminated, including an early warning system in Benue State. The World Food Programme reports that areas where food aid was suspended are now the hardest hit by the worsening hunger crisis.

The administration's pivot is toward commercial diplomacy and trade over aid, while trade policy has been turbulent. Under an April 2025 tariff action, Nigeria faced a 15 percent tariff on exports to the U.S., with petroleum exempt. After a February 2026 Supreme Court ruling, the administration imposed temporary tariffs under a different statute, leaving Nigeria with a 10 percent tariff on some exports.

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