Nigeria, United States Begin Moves to Address Nation’s CPC Designation

Nigeria and the United States have commenced actions to tackle Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) status. Both nations are conducting a review of their progress concerning religious liberty, accountability for violators, and security collaboration. This development followed the second session of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, held in Washington on Wednesday by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker.

The meeting occurred after the first session, which took place in Abuja on January 22, 2026. The discussions centered on three key areas: safeguarding Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, ensuring perpetrators of violence face justice by enhancing judicial and security institutions, and military-to-military cooperation.

The US government highlighted ongoing issues, such as reports of civilian deaths and difficulties in tracking how humanitarian aid is spent, emphasizing the necessity for further action from the Nigerian government. Officials noted that Nigeria has made strides, including the prosecution of numerous Boko Haram and Islamic State-West Africa (ISIS-WA) suspects, expanding judicial capabilities, and training 50,000 additional police officers.

Both parties agreed that additional work remains, particularly in assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs). The talks also included further collaboration to counter terrorism financing, sharing biometric data to bolster accountability measures, and enhancing law enforcement training. The US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and Bureau of Counterterrorism will oversee the capacity-building efforts.

Additionally, Washington and Abuja are deepening their security partnership through military-to-military cooperation discussions at the Pentagon. US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, met with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to reinforce the United States’ dedication to supporting Nigeria in protecting Christian communities and enhancing joint security collaboration.

The CPC designation has been a contentious matter in Nigeria-US relations, with Abuja striving to prove its commitment to safeguarding citizens, prosecuting violators, and strengthening security and justice institutions.