The US Department of State has announced a $3.5m funding opportunity aimed at improving the documentation and reporting of religious freedom abuses in Nigeria.
The initiative, announced by the Office of International Religious Freedom under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, wants applications from organizations capable of boosting reporting efforts on religious and belief-related attacks around the country.
According to the funding opportunity announcement issued on May 22, 2026, the initiative will last between 24 and 48 months, with one award anticipated as either a grant or a cooperation agreement.
The State Department declared that the project’s goal was to improve efforts to monitor and document abuses committed by both state and non-state actors in Nigeria.
“The Office of International Religious Freedom announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that improve documentation and reporting efforts on religious freedom abuses in Nigeria, for accountability, advocacy, and memorialization,” the notice stated.
The document referenced violence linked to Boko Haram, Fulani ethnic terrorists, and other armed groups, saying attacks have affected both Christians and Muslims.
“Documenters, human rights and religious freedom advocates, religious leaders and community members, academics, journalists, and survivors have contributed to an evidence base that illustrates the extreme levels of violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed actors against Christians and Muslims,” the notice said.
The US government also condemned what it described as inadequate responses by Nigerian authorities to attacks on faith communities.
“Civil society reports indicate that authorities regularly fail to respond in a timely or effective manner to violent attacks against civilians and faith communities, and particularly attacks against Christians,” the document stated.
It added, “This leads to widespread impunity for violence, which encourages more violence, leading to further abuses and displacements.”
The IRF stated that ideas submitted under the initiative should strive to strengthen accountability for violations through “monitoring, documenting, and reporting of such abuses committed by either state or non-state actors in Nigeria.”
Applicants must emphasize operations in the Middle Belt and indicate at least four states where initiatives will be implemented.
The funding opportunity is open to both foreign and US-based non-profit organizations, public international organizations, higher education institutions, and for-profit corporations, though the department prefers to collaborate with non-profits.
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
Trump classified Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern in November 2025 due to suspected Christian persecution.
However, the federal government has denied charges of religious persecution, claiming that instability affects all citizens, regardless of faith, and pledging continuing collaboration with the United States on counterterrorism and security measures.
