US lawmakers have voted to block all American assistance to Nigeria until the government shows it can curb violence and protect civilians.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved an amendment proposed by Rep. Gregory Steube of Florida’s 17th district. The measure raises the proposed aid withholding from 50 percent to 100 percent. It passed by voice vote.
An earlier version in April would have cut only half of the funds until the Secretary of State confirmed that Nigeria was taking “effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable.” Steube argued that half-measures were not enough.
Speaking on the floor, Steube said Nigeria is facing a “horrific wave of violence” that the government has failed to address. He specifically cited attacks on Christians and other religious minorities, including abductions, assaults, killings, and the burning of churches.
“If the conditions in the bill are important enough to withhold half of the funding, then they are important enough to withhold all of it,” he said. Steube added that US taxpayer dollars should not go to governments that “fail to uphold religious freedom, fail to adequately confront terrorism, and fail to protect the innocent.”
He also pointed to the US national debt, now approaching $40 trillion, as a reason to be stricter with foreign aid. According to him, the amendment is meant to ensure aid reflects American values.
The vote comes after a tense period in US-Nigeria relations. In 2025, President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over claims of Christian persecution, and later authorized a missile strike on Nigerian territory on Christmas Day.
Despite that, Nigeria and the US have since started a new military partnership focused on fighting terrorist groups in Nigeria’s vast northern region.
The bill now moves to the next stage of the legislative process before it can affect actual funding.
