THE administration of United States President Donald Trump will closely monitor Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, US Congressman Riley Moore has said, indicating that the conduct and outcome of the polls will attract significant attention from Washington.
News Point Nigeria reports that Moore, a Republican representing West Virginia, made the disclosure while responding to questions about Nigeria’s next general election during an interview with NoireTV, which was posted on the platform’s social media pages on Sunday.
Speaking on whether the United States could do more to support credible elections in Nigeria, the congressman said Washington would be carefully observing how the electoral process is conducted.
“What I’d say is that we’re certainly going to be watching these results and how these elections unfold and how they’re executed. And that’s something that myself and the administration are going to be paying very close attention to,” Moore said.
The lawmaker also revealed that the US House of Representatives is considering an appropriations bill containing provisions relating to Nigeria, particularly on issues of religious freedom and United States security assistance.
“We’re working on Chris (Smith)’s bill, which obviously I’m a co-sponsor of that bill. But I’d say, more importantly, what people need to pay attention to is the appropriations bill that we’re going to have on the floor today,” Moore stated.
According to him, the proposed legislation contains what he described as “pretty strong and aggressive language” regarding Nigeria’s relationship with the United States.
“There’s a lot of language that I put on that bill that’s inside of it that relates to Nigeria and the persecution of Christians and restrictions on security assistance to the government of Nigeria, and steps that they have to take.
“That bill’s likely to become law. We’re about to, hopefully, pass that here today. And so there’s some pretty strong and aggressive language in that bill that’s going to be binding as it relates to our relationship to Nigeria moving forward,” he added.
Moore further disclosed that he would continue engaging the Trump administration on developments concerning Nigeria and revealed that he was scheduled to meet with President Trump.
“I continue to work with the administration on next steps that we’re going to take. I’m actually going to see President Trump tonight. I’ll be having dinner with him and some other members, so yeah, I continue to talk to him about these issues, and it’s very important to him,” he said.
Moore is a co-sponsor of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, introduced alongside Congressman Chris Smith in February.
The proposed legislation seeks to compel the US Secretary of State to submit periodic reports to Congress detailing efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
The Smith-Moore bill also proposes regular assessments of Nigeria’s compliance with international religious freedom obligations, the status of US security assistance, sanctions, humanitarian support, and measures taken by the Nigerian government to protect vulnerable communities and prosecute those responsible for attacks.
Meanwhile, this newspaper reports that the US House Appropriations Committee, in April 2026, approved provisions in its annual State Department funding bill imposing stricter oversight and conditions on financial assistance to Nigeria.
The bill, which has been forwarded to Congress for consideration, provides that 50 per cent of funds earmarked for Nigeria under US foreign assistance programmes will be withheld until it is certified that the Nigerian government is taking “effective steps” to curb religious violence.
It also stipulates that the funds must support investigations and prosecutions of violence allegedly committed by Fulani militia groups.
Additionally, the proposed legislation requires the Nigerian government to facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons as part of the conditions tied to continued US assistance.