Religious freedom groups warn Nigeria's Senate over proposed foreign aid bill

A multifaith coalition of religious freedom groups has submitted a letter to the Nigerian Senate warning that the proposed Foreign Aid (Regulation, Transparency, and Disclosure) Bill 2026 could impede the documentation of attacks on Christians. The Africa Working Group of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable addressed the warning to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Introduced in May, the legislation aims to establish a Foreign Aid Regulatory Commission to oversee organizations receiving foreign grants, donations, or technical assistance through registration, inspection, and auditing. While intended to minimize foreign influence, advocates argue the bill could be used to target faith-based groups that criticize the government and could harm human rights defenders, legal aid providers, and humanitarian organizations.

Specific concerns raised include a mandate to register foreign aid within 30 days, which critics say could hinder rapid-response assistance to human rights violation survivors. Additionally, the requirement for NGOs to publicly disclose their partners in a register is viewed as a potential threat to the safety of survivors and witnesses.