HR 5808119th CongressIn Committee

Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025

Introduced: Oct 21, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Stutzman, Marlin A. [R-IN-3] (R-Indiana)

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, would compel the Secretary of State to designate the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and to designate Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISWAP) as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). It would also require the President to impose sanctions described in Executive Order 13818 on persons identified in annual reports produced by the State Department. The bill creates a reporting requirement to identify Nigerian officials (federal and state) and judicial or law enforcement authorities who have promoted, enacted, or enforced Nigerian blasphemy laws or who tolerated violence justified by religion, and who may be subject to sanctions. The first report covers a 10-year lookback prior to enactment; subsequent reports cover the period from the previous report forward. The bill includes waiver provisions to avoid these designations under certain conditions and makes a minor technical correction to the IRFA. The short title is the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025.

Key Points

1CPC/EPC designations and sanctions: The Secretary of State is required to designate Nigeria as a CPC and Boko Haram/ISWAP as EPCs, triggering the sanctions framework under E.O. 13818 for persons listed in the Department’s report.
2Annual reporting requirement: Within 90 days of enactment and annually thereafter, the Secretary must submit to Congress a report listing Nigerian individuals (federal officials, state governors, judges, magistrates, prison officials, and other judicial or law enforcement authorities) who promoted or tolerated blasphemy laws or who enforced them, and the period covered by the report (first report: 10 years prior; later reports: from the previous report’s submission date to the new one). Reports are to be unclassified, with a possible classified annex.
3Definitions: The bill defines key terms, including Boko Haram (Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad), ISIS-West Africa (ISWAP), Nigerian blasphemy laws, and “person.” It also clarifies “appropriate congressional committees” for reporting.
4Waiver authorities: The Secretary may waive the CPC designation if (A) neither Nigeria-listed entity is currently operating in Nigeria and (B) the Nigerian federal and state governments are not enforcing blasphemy laws. The Secretary may waive the EPC designation if the non-designated entity is not currently operating.
5Technical correction: The bill proposes a minor wording correction to the International Religious Freedom Act text, changing “freedom religion” to “religious freedom.”
6Procedure and scope: The bill was introduced in the House, assigns referrals to the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, and follows a typical framework for sanctions-and-designation bills linked to religious freedom concerns.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Nigerian government officials at federal and state levels, judges, magistrates, and law enforcement authorities who may be implicated by blasphemy-law enforcement or tolerance of religiously motivated violence.Secondary group/area affected- Nigerian citizens, including minorities and individuals targeted by blasphemy prosecutions or violence, who could be affected by changes in government enforcement patterns and potential international sanctions.Additional impacts- US policy and diplomacy: The United States would leverage sanctions on designated individuals, which could affect Nigeria’s political dynamics and bilateral relations.- Religious freedom advocacy: The bill elevates attention on Nigeria’s blasphemy laws and violence tied to religious justifications, potentially influencing domestic and NGO advocacy.- Security and counterterrorism: By designating Boko Haram and ISWAP as EPCs, it foregrounds these groups in sanctions regimes, potentially affecting funding, travel, and international cooperation related to counterterrorism.- Legal and human rights considerations: Waiver provisions create a mechanism to temporarily avoid designations if conditions on the ground change, which could be used strategically in diplomacy but may also delay accountability.

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