American rapper Nicki Minaj has publicly supported United States President Donald Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious persecution, expressing gratitude for religious freedom in America and urging global attention to the issue.
The Grammy-nominated artist, born Onika Maraj, shared her response on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday following Trump’s Friday announcement that he was placing Nigeria on the State Department’s watchlist for nations engaged in severe violations of religious freedom. Minaj said Trump’s statement made her feel a deep sense of gratitude for living in a country where people can freely worship.
We live in a country where we can freely worship God, Minaj wrote. No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion. We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other.
The rapper, who has been open about her Christian faith, continued by acknowledging what she described as a global crisis affecting multiple nations. Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror and it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice, she stated. Thank you to The President and his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.
Trump’s designation came through a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, in which he claimed that Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. The president wrote that thousands of Christians are being killed by radical Islamists, adding that the United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening.
The designation allows the United States government to impose potential sanctions on Nigeria, including economic measures or travel restrictions. Nigeria was first placed on the “country of particular concern” list in 2020 during Trump’s first term, but the designation was lifted in 2023 by the Biden administration, reportedly to improve bilateral relations ahead of then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit.
Trump’s decision follows months of lobbying by Republican lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who introduced legislation in September seeking to reinstate Nigeria’s designation and impose sanctions on government officials. Representative Riley Moore of West Virginia wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio in early October requesting the designation, citing figures that more than 7,000 Christians had been killed in Nigeria in the first seven months of 2025 alone.
However, the claims have sparked significant debate among experts and international observers. Multiple analysts have noted that Nigeria’s conflicts are far more complex than religious persecution alone, with violence affecting both Christians and Muslims in the country’s troubled regions.
Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project shows at least 389 instances of violence targeting Christians between 2020 and 2025, resulting in at least 318 deaths. During the same period, 197 attacks targeted Muslims, causing at least 418 deaths. The data suggests that while Christians are among victims of violence, Muslims have experienced higher casualty numbers.
The Nigerian government has vehemently rejected characterizations of the violence as primarily religious persecution. In a statement released Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria reiterated its commitment to combating violent extremism and safeguarding the rights of all worshippers, regardless of faith.
The Federal Government has noted the recent statement by the United States of America on religious freedom in Nigeria, the ministry stated. We remain committed in our resolve to tackle the violent extremism that is fuelled by special interests who have helped drive such decay and division in countries across the intersecting West African and Sahel regions.
The statement continued, emphasizing Nigeria’s diversity. Like America, Nigeria has no option but to celebrate the diversity that is our greatest strength. Nigeria is a God-fearing country where we respect faith, tolerance, diversity and inclusion.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo separately told international media that no excessive force has been used and that the government has no official figures on any protesters killed, though the context of these remarks was not entirely clear.
Experts on Nigeria have cautioned that the situation is more nuanced than religious targeting alone. Multiple conflicts have engulfed Africa’s most populous nation, including the insurgency by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, as well as clashes between largely Christian farmers and largely Muslim herders over resources such as water and grazing land in the Middle Belt region.
Analysts from organizations including the European Council on Foreign Relations have noted that while militant groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP do target Christians as part of their jihadist ideology, the violence also kills Muslims indiscriminately. Disputes over land, water, and economic resources have exacerbated tensions that sometimes align with religious and ethnic divisions but aren’t solely driven by them.
Trump’s announcement appears to mirror language pushed by conservative evangelical groups and right-wing American lawmakers, who have characterized the situation as Christian genocide. The framing has gained traction on social media in recent months, particularly among the American and European political right.
International Christian Concern President Shawn Wright welcomed Trump’s decision, stating it represents a significant step toward mobilizing the global community to confront the atrocities that have devastated so many families and communities in Nigeria.
Mark Walker, Trump’s ambassador-designate for International Religious Freedom and a former pastor and Republican congressman, told media outlets that even being conservative, it’s probably 4,000 to 8,000 Christians killed annually in Nigeria. Walker said he plans to work closely with Secretary of State Rubio to strengthen United States advocacy for religious freedom once confirmed.
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz thanked Minaj for using her platform to speak out in defense of Christians being persecuted in Nigeria. We cannot allow this to continue, Waltz wrote on X. Every brother and sister of Christ must band together and say, “Enough!”
Open Doors, an international watchdog organization that monitors Christian persecution, reported that nearly 70 percent of all Christians killed for their faith worldwide last year were in Nigeria. The group attributes most violence to Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and Fulani militant herders, who often target Christian farmers in the Middle Belt.
However, lobbying efforts have also played a role in shaping the narrative. Moran Global Strategies, representing the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, wrote to United States congressional staffers in March warning of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, according to documents disclosed under American foreign lobbying rules. Biafra was the name of a short-lived breakaway state that sparked a brutal civil war lasting from 1967 to 1970.
The 1998 International Religious Freedom Act created the “country of particular concern” category to help monitor religious persecution and advocate for its end. Typically, such designations follow recommendations from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan congressional group, along with State Department specialists. Trump’s decision to announce the designation personally via social media represents a departure from standard procedure.
Minaj’s comments have drawn widespread reactions online, with supporters applauding her for using her substantial platform to advocate for global religious tolerance and human rights. The rapper, who has more than 200 million followers across social media platforms, has previously spoken about her Christian faith and occasionally references religious themes in her music and public statements.
Nigeria’s designation as a country of particular concern adds the nation to a list that includes countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The designation can lead to policy actions ranging from private diplomatic engagement to public statements, restrictions on United States assistance, and economic sanctions.
Trump emphasized in his Friday statement that the United States stands ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world. The president asked House Appropriations Committee members, including Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, to immediately look into this matter and report back on what response should follow.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration’s stated commitment to protecting Christians globally and the complex realities of conflicts in nations like Nigeria, where violence often transcends simple religious categories. Whether the designation will lead to concrete policy changes or improved conditions for religious minorities in Nigeria remains uncertain as diplomatic discussions continue.
As Nigeria navigates its response to the designation, the country faces the challenge of addressing legitimate security concerns while defending its reputation as a diverse nation committed to religious freedom. The coming weeks will likely determine whether the designation serves as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue or further strains relations between Washington and Abuja.
