US lawmaker pushes to keep Nigeria on religious freedom blacklist as CPC status nears 10 months

US Congressman Riley Moore is backing the continued designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), arguing that the government has not done enough to protect Christians from persistent attacks, as the designation approaches its 10-month mark.

• US Congressman Riley Moore insists Nigeria should remain designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to continued attacks on Christians.
• Moore pushed back against suggestions of removing the CPC label, arguing that the Nigerian government hasn't done enough to protect Christians.
• He responded critically after the second session of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, where officials reported progress and outlined new protective steps.
• Moore recently introduced legislation aiming for tougher US measures against religious persecution in Nigeria.

US Congressman Riley Moore has pushed back against any move to remove Nigeria from Washington's list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), saying the Nigerian government has not done enough to protect Christians from continued attacks.

Moore made the comments after the US and Nigeria held a second session of their Joint Working Group on Nigeria's CPC designation, with Washington saying the two countries had identified concrete steps to protect vulnerable communities and strengthen accountability for perpetrators.

“DO NOT remove the CPC designation for Nigeria. They have not done near enough to protect Christians! They continue to get slaughtered!!” Moore said in a post on X.

DON'T MISS THIS: Trump designates Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ over Christian killings

Moore’s comments came in response to Under Secretary of State Allison M. Hooker’s post about last week’s second US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, where she said Washington remained committed to protecting Christian communities in Nigeria and that discussions with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu had identified concrete steps to strengthen their protection.

Moore pushed back on the assessment, arguing that the progress outlined by the administration does not justify removing Nigeria from the CPC designation.

His intervention places pressure on the US government to maintain the designation even as Washington and Abuja deepen engagement over religious freedom and security.

Moore challenges Washington’s assessment of progress

The State Department said the second working-group session, held in Washington on August 12, focused on addressing religious-freedom concerns underlying Nigeria's CPC designation.

The talks followed the first session held in Abuja in January and were part of a bilateral process established to address the designation through greater security cooperation, protection of vulnerable communities and accountability.

For Moore, however, continued attacks against Christians mean Nigeria has not yet met the standard required for the designation to be removed.

The Republican congressman has emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for maintaining pressure on Nigeria over religious freedom. In February, Moore introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which seeks stronger US measures against religious persecution in Nigeria.

Nigeria's CPC designation

Nigeria was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern by the Trump administration in October 2025 after previously being removed from the list in 2021.

DON'T MISS THIS: US, Nigeria resume talks over Nigeria’s ‘Country of Particular Concern’ status

The designation is significant because it gives Washington additional tools to pressure governments accused of severe violations of religious freedom, although a CPC designation does not automatically trigger sanctions.

Moore's latest comments therefore expose a potential divide between the diplomatic process being pursued by the State Department and lawmakers demanding a tougher approach.

For Nigeria, the working group offers an opportunity to demonstrate progress to Washington without accepting the CPC designation as a permanent feature of bilateral relations.

But Moore's intervention shows that the designation will likely remain politically contentious in Washington even as the two governments seek closer cooperation on security and religious freedom.