US House votes to withhold all aid to Nigeria

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to condition all American assistance to Nigeria on the country taking concrete steps to address violence and protect its citizens. The amendment, approved by a voice vote on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, would withhold 100 percent of U.S. aid until the Secretary of State certifies that the Nigerian government has taken effective measures to prevent and respond to violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

The measure was sponsored by Representative Gregory Steube, a Republican from Florida, and was attached to the fiscal 2027 State Department spending bill. The underlying legislation had initially proposed withholding 50 percent of funds appropriated for Nigeria. Steube's amendment raises that threshold to full withholding while leaving the certification requirements unchanged. The broader spending bill later passed the House by a vote of 217 to 209, largely along party lines.

In advocating for the change, Steube argued that partial withholding was insufficient. He stated that Nigeria has faced a horrific wave of violence that its government has failed to address, alleging that Christians and other religious minorities have been subjected...