THE Federal Government spent ₦500 million in 2025 on an emergency strategic communications campaign aimed at countering what it described as coordinated Western propaganda alleging the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, expenditure records on the government’s tracking platform, GovSpend, have revealed.
News Point Nigeria reports that the payment record showed that ₦500,000,000 was released for a “Fund to SA to President on Media & Policy Communications for emergency Strategic Communications & Global Media Engagement to counter coordinated Western propaganda against the government on alleged Christian persecution.”
The payment was made on December 19, 2025, under the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communications.
The expenditure highlights the government’s investment in strategic communications amid increasing international scrutiny over Nigeria’s security situation and allegations of religious persecution.
The ₦500 million spending came in the same year the Federal Government engaged a United States lobbying firm under a $9 million contract to strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with American officials over allegations of attacks on Christian communities.
Documents filed under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) showed that Aster Legal, a Kaduna-based law firm, retained DCI Group, a US-based public affairs and lobbying firm, on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The agreement, signed on December 18, 2025, stated that DCI Group would assist the Nigerian government in communicating its efforts to protect Nigerian Christian communities and maintaining US support in the fight against West African jihadist groups and other destabilising elements.
Under the agreement, the Federal Government committed to paying the firm $750,000 monthly, amounting to $9 million over one year if renewed.
The payment structure required an upfront $4.5 million six-month retainer, with another $4.5 million payable after the initial six months.
The lobbying contract followed increased scrutiny from US policymakers over reports of violence affecting Christian communities in Nigeria.
In October 2025, US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over allegations of widespread persecution of Christians.
A CPC designation is one of the most serious classifications used by the US government for countries accused of engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
The designation may lead to sanctions or other policy measures, although the US President can waive punitive actions where national security or foreign policy interests are considered.
Despite the redesignation, security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States has continued.
The US remains one of Nigeria’s major security partners in the fight against Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other extremist groups through intelligence sharing, military training, defence equipment sales, logistics support and humanitarian assistance.
The Nigerian government recently released what it described as a letter from President Donald Trump to President Bola Tinubu, in which Trump acknowledged violence affecting Christian communities while reaffirming US support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts.
According to a statement issued by the Nigerian government, Trump wrote:
“Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Your kind words mean a great deal to me, and I appreciate your decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people. I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities, and it is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.”
The letter further stated: “The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time where conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world. We both share a mutual goal of confronting terrorism in all its forms, and our historic U.S.-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has established a robust framework to accomplish this feat.”
The Federal Government has consistently maintained that Nigeria’s security crisis is driven by terrorism, banditry, communal conflicts and other forms of criminality rather than a deliberate policy of religious persecution.
The government has repeatedly argued that both Christians and Muslims have suffered from attacks by terrorist groups, bandits and criminal elements.
Taken together, the GovSpend record and the US lobbying contract indicate that the Federal Government adopted both domestic and international communication strategies to counter narratives surrounding religious violence in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s efforts to challenge allegations of Christian persecution have unfolded against the backdrop of a worsening security crisis that has continued to attract global attention.
Analysis of data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) showed that Nigeria recorded 7,956 conflict events between July 2025 and June 2026, resulting in about 15,000 deaths and exposing an estimated 66.8 million people to violence and insecurity.
The figures indicate that Nigeria recorded an average of 663 conflict incidents every month, 126 weekly and more than 21 daily during the period.
Fatalities averaged 1,237 deaths monthly, 285 weekly and about 41 daily.
The data also showed that Nigeria accounted for 6.11 per cent of all conflict-related deaths recorded globally within the period.
A breakdown of the figures showed that violence against civilians accounted for 3,494 incidents, followed by 2,458 battles, 739 strategic developments, 734 protests, 278 riots and 253 explosions or remote violence incidents.
State-by-state analysis placed Borno State at the top with 1,218 conflict events, followed by Katsina with 958, Zamfara with 885, Sokoto with 599, Kaduna with 390, Benue with 377 and Plateau with 346.
The figures highlight the scale of Nigeria’s security challenges, including insurgency, armed banditry, farmer-herder clashes, communal violence, separatist attacks and widespread kidnappings for ransom, which have continued to shape international perceptions of the country’s human rights and religious freedom record.
Despite the security challenges, President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly pledged that his administration would defeat terrorism and banditry.
Speaking at the opening of the Second National Economic Council Conference in Abuja earlier this year, Tinubu said: “I assure you we will win with determination and resilience. We will overcome this unacceptable terrorism and banditry. It’s not part of our culture. It’s foreign to us.”
While some international advocacy groups have argued that Christians are disproportionately targeted in parts of Nigeria, the Federal Government has consistently rejected claims of state-backed religious persecution.
The government insists that victims of terrorism, banditry and communal violence include both Christians and Muslims, adding that security operations target criminal and terrorist groups irrespective of religious affiliation.
The Federal Government is not the only Nigerian entity to engage foreign lobbying firms.
Over the years, several state governments and public institutions have retained US-based lobbying and public affairs firms to promote investment, strengthen diplomatic engagement, improve international image and engage policymakers.
Insurgent groups have also adopted similar strategies.
Organisations linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the wider Biafra movement have, at different times, retained lobbying firms and public affairs consultants in the United States to influence policymakers, raise international awareness of their cause and advocate for self-determination through engagements disclosed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act.