The United States House of Representatives has approved an amendment seeking to withhold 100 per cent of US assistance to Nigeria until the Federal Government meets specific conditions aimed at tackling violence and protecting Christians.
The amendment, sponsored by Republican Congressman Greg Steube, was adopted by a voice vote on Wednesday and incorporated into the fiscal year 2027 State Department appropriations bill, which was later passed by the House in a 217–209 vote.
Announcing the development on X, Steube wrote, “My amendment to withhold 100% of U.S. aid to Nigeria until its government stops the slaughter of Christians has passed.
“American taxpayers should never bankroll governments that turn a blind eye while Christians are abducted, tortured, and murdered. No more wasteful foreign aid!”
The original spending bill had proposed withholding 50 per cent of US funding to Nigeria until the US Secretary of State certifies that the Nigerian government has taken effective steps to prevent violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
However, Steube’s amendment raises the threshold to a full suspension of US assistance while retaining the same certification requirements.
Speaking on the House floor, the lawmaker argued that Nigeria has continued to experience widespread violence which, according to him, the government has failed to address.
He maintained that withholding only half of the aid would amount to rewarding a government that had failed in its basic responsibility to protect its citizens.
Steube insisted the amendment introduces no new conditions but merely strengthens existing provisions.
“Foreign aid should never be a reward for failure.”
He also linked the proposal to America’s growing debt burden, questioning why the United States should continue providing financial assistance to Nigeria while its national debt is approaching $40 trillion.
Despite the House’s approval, the proposal has not yet become law. The bill must still be passed by the US Senate and signed by President Donald Trump before the aid restrictions can take effect.
The vote comes amid strained US-Nigeria relations following Washington’s 2025 redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over allegations of Christian persecution.
The two countries, however, have continued to maintain a security partnership focused on combating terrorist groups operating in northern Nigeria.
