A new bill in the United States House of Representatives targets cooperation between the US Secretary of State and Nigeria to counter what lawmakers describe as the destabilizing consequences of illegal Chinese mining operations in the country.
The “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” was introduced on Tuesday by five Republican lawmakers: Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga. The sponsors noted that some Chinese mining firms operating in Nigeria have been paying protection money to Fulani militias, fostering local violence and insecurity.
Under the proposed legislation, the Secretary of State would provide technical support to Nigeria aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating militia-related violence, including through disarmament programs and comprehensive counter-terrorism cooperation. The bill also calls for coordination with international partners such as France, Hungary, and the UK to advance religious freedom and peace.
Clauses 10 and 11 of the bill specifically direct:
“The Secretary of State should work with the Government of Nigeria to counteract the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilizing practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias.”
The legislation also tasks the Secretary of State with determining whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias qualify as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The bill references a 2023 report by The Times, which alleged that Chinese nationals in Nigeria’s mining sector were indirectly funding militant groups in the northwest to secure access to mineral resources. According to the report, some miners in Zamfara acted as runners for militant groups, raising concerns that “Beijing could be indirectly funding terror in Africa’s largest economy.”
If passed, the bill would represent a significant US intervention in Nigeria’s mineral sector and security landscape, linking foreign mining operations to militia activity and underscoring broader concerns about regional stability, counter-terrorism, and governance.