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The United States House of Representatives has approved an amendment that seeks to halt all American aid to Nigeria unless the Federal Government shows real progress in containing the violence and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The proposal, sponsored by Republican Congressman Gregory Steube, was adopted by voice vote on Wednesday during consideration of the fiscal year 2027 State Department appropriations bill. The broader spending legislation then passed the House on a largely party-line 217-209 vote.
After the vote, Steube announced the development on his X account, describing the amendment as a step to hold the Nigerian government accountable for reports of persecution of Christians.
“My amendment to withhold 100% of US aid to Nigeria until its government stops the massacre of Christians has passed.
“American taxpayers should not fund a government that turns a blind eye when Christians are kidnapped, tortured, and murdered. No more wasted foreign aid!”
The amendment revises an earlier provision in the spending bill that proposed a 50 percent cut in US aid to Nigeria. According to the initial version, funding could only be released after the US Secretary of State declared that Nigeria had taken “effective steps to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Steube’s amendment increased the funding cap from 50 percent to a complete cessation of aid while maintaining the same certification requirements.
Speaking before the House vote, the Florida lawmaker argued that Nigeria has failed to respond to ongoing violence and should not continue to receive American aid without measurable improvements.
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According to him, Nigeria “has faced a horrific wave of violence that its corrupt government has failed to contain,” adding that withholding half of the aid would be tantamount to rewarding a government that “failed to meet those basic obligations.”
He emphasized that the amendment does not provide additional requirements other than those already contained in the bill.
“Foreign aid should not be a reward for failure,” Steube said.
The congressman also linked the proposal to America’s fiscal challenges, and questioned the rationale for continuing financial support to Nigeria “as our national debt is rapidly approaching $40 trillion.”
Even though it has been passed by the DPR, the law has not yet become law. The bill still needs to be approved by the US Senate before being sent to President Donald Trump for approval. Until that legislative process is complete, a vote in the House of Representatives will not change existing US aid to Nigeria.
The amendment comes amid increased scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation in Washington. In 2025, President Donald Trump re-designated Nigeria as a Country of Very Concern over allegations related to the persecution of Christians. Relations between the two countries also experienced tension following the US missile attack on Nigerian territory on Christmas Day that year.
Despite these tensions, Nigeria and the United States have strengthened security cooperation, particularly in efforts aimed at combating terrorist groups operating in the north of the country.
