Why the State Department Should Re-designate Nigeria as a CPC

Since 2009, USCIRF has recommended that the U.S. State Department designate Nigeria a country of particular concern, or CPC, for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations. In December 2020, the State Department designated Nigeria for the first time, making Nigeria the first secular democracy to be added to the CPC list. As we approach the end of 2021 and anticipate the State Department’s upcoming CPC designations, today’s discussion with USCIRF Commissioner Frederick A. Davie will demonstrate why CPC re-designation is warranted, correct some common misconceptions, and explore how the U.S. government can adjust its policy in Nigeria to assist the government in improving its religious freedom record. Read more USCIRF reporting on religious freedom in Nigeria here.