The term Country of Particular Concern (CPC) is used by the United States Secretary of State—under the authority of the President—to identify nations that are guilty of severe violations of religious freedom. This classification was established under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 and later amended in 1999.
Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump once again designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. The announcement, made on Friday, follows growing allegations of widespread persecution of Christians in the country.
This isn’t the first time Nigeria has received such a designation. In 2020, during Trump’s first term, the country was placed on the CPC list. However, the administration of President Joe Biden later removed Nigeria from it. Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria reportedly came after months of lobbying by U.S. lawmakers urging the President and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take action.
When a country is declared a CPC, the U.S. Congress is notified to consider policy measures aimed at ending the severe violations of religious freedom. These measures may start with diplomatic engagement and public condemnation, and if those fail, may extend to economic sanctions—such as cutting or restricting foreign aid, suspending security support, blocking export licenses, or opposing international loans.
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The most recent CPC designations, announced by the U.S. Secretary of State on December 29, 2023, include:
Burma
China
Cuba
Eritrea
Iran
North Korea
Nicaragua
Pakistan
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Nigeria’s return to this list has once again drawn global attention to the ongoing debate about religious freedom and human rights within the country.
