America to keep a watchful eye on Nigeria's 2027 polls — US Lawmaker

The administration of US President Donald Trump will be keeping a watchful eye on Nigeria's 2027 general elections, according to Congressman Riley Moore, a Republican representing West Virginia.

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Moore emphasized that the conduct of the polls is an issue that Washington will be paying "very close attention to," as he fielded questions about Nigeria's upcoming general election in an interview with NoireTV posted on the platform's social media pages on Sunday.

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When asked if the United States could do more to support credible elections in Nigeria, Moore stated that the US will be monitoring the election results and their execution, adding that he and the administration will be paying "very close attention" to the process.

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The US lawmaker also revealed that the US House of Representatives is considering an appropriations bill that includes provisions related to Nigeria, specifically regarding religious freedom and US security assistance.

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Moore disclosed that he is a co-sponsor of a bill introduced by Congressman Chris Smith, but noted that a more significant development is the appropriations bill that will be presented on the floor, which contains "pretty strong and aggressive language" on Nigeria's relationship with the United States.

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The proposed legislation includes provisions that address Nigeria's persecution of Christians and restrictions on security assistance to the government, as well as steps the Nigerian government must take, with Moore stating that "there's a lot of language that I put on that bill that's inside of it that relates to Nigeria."

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Moore expressed confidence that the bill will become law, saying "that bill's likely to become law" and that the legislation will have a binding impact on the US-Nigeria relationship moving forward.

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He also revealed that he will continue to engage with the Trump administration on Nigeria-related issues and is scheduled to meet with President Trump, stating "I continue to work with the administration on next steps that we're going to take" and that he will be discussing these issues with the president over dinner.

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Moore is a co-sponsor of the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, which was introduced alongside Congressman Chris Smith in February and seeks to require the US Secretary of State to submit periodic reports to Congress on efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.

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The proposed legislation, also known as the Smith-Moore bill, proposes assessments of Nigeria's compliance with international religious freedom obligations, US security assistance, sanctions, humanitarian support, and measures taken by the Nigerian government to protect vulnerable communities and prosecute perpetrators of attacks.

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In a related development, the US House Appropriations Committee passed provisions in its annual State Department funding bill in April 2026, which impose stricter oversight and conditions on financial assistance to Nigeria, with 50 per cent of funds earmarked for Nigeria under foreign assistance titles to be withheld until it is certified that the government is taking "effective steps" to curb religious violence.

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The bill also stipulates that funds must support investigations and prosecutions of violence committed by Fulani militia groups and that the government must facilitate the safe return of displaced persons, highlighting the US Congress's efforts to promote accountability and human rights in Nigeria.