Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025

Summary

Requires the U.S. Government to identify and impose sanctions on Nigerian officials, judges, and law-enforcement actors tied to enforcement of blasphemy laws or religion‑justified violence, and to publish regular State Department reports naming those persons. Directs the State Department to list Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for serious religious‑freedom violations and to designate Boko Haram and ISIS–West Africa as Entities of Particular Concern, while allowing narrow waivers if the State Department certifies certain factual conditions to Congress.

• Mandates an initial State Department report (within 90 days) naming Nigerian actors linked to blasphemy enforcement or religion‑justified violence, with annual follow‑up reports.
• Requires the President to impose sanctions under an existing executive order on persons named in the report.
• Directs designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for severe religious‑freedom violations unless a narrow waiver is certified to Congress.
• Directs designation of Boko Haram and ISIS–West Africa as Entities of Particular Concern, with a limited waiver if the entity is not operating.
• Allows reports to be unclassified with an optional classified annex.
• Provides specific definitions (including what counts as Nigerian blasphemy laws) and corrects a minor statutory wording error.
• Creates new reporting and certification requirements for the State Department and triggers potential diplomatic and sanctions consequences for Nigeria and named individuals.