The United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa is scheduled to have an open hearing on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to evaluate the recent redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, by President Donald Trump.
The CPC designation, if ratified by the Senate, would allow the US to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials found complicit in religious persecution and limit certain forms of bilateral assistance.
It also signals to the international community that religious freedom in Nigeria remains under serious threat.
The hearing, scheduled for 11:00 am in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building and available via live webcast, will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith.
The hearing is said to be featuring two panels of witnesses, including senior US State Department officials and Nigerian religious leaders.
According to the invite to the members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, “You are respectfully requested to attend an open hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to be held by the Subcommittee on Africa at 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building.”
The invite stated that panelists will include Senior Bureau Official of the Bureau of African Affairs, Jonathan Pratt, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Jacob McGee.
The second panel, it said will feature the Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom, Ms Nina Shea; Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi Catholic Diocese in Nigeria; and Ms Oge Onubogu of the Centre for Strategic & International Studies.
Recall that on October 31, 2025, Trump declaration Nigeria a ‘’Country of Particular Concern’’ for religious freedom violations.
The development has triggered debate over escalating attacks on Christians in Nigeria and the possibility of US intervention.
In designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, Trump cited alleged severe violations of religious freedom, particularly the persecution of Christians.
According to the US President, Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, with thousands of Christians being killed by radical Islamists.
He, thereafter, warned that the US would take action, including potential military intervention, if Nigeria did not address the issue.
The US President also threatened to halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria should President Bola Tinubu’s administration fail to end the alleged persecution and killing of Christians.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now-disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians,” he had said.
