US President Donald Trump’s remarks about “oppression of Christians” in Nigeria have once again drawn global attention to the combination of religion, natural resources and domestic politics in Africa’s most populous country. Field surveys and 2025 statistics show that the Nigerian crisis is largely economic, environmental and tribal, and that highlighting religious dimensions is more propaganda and geopolitical.
Publish dateMonday 3 November 2025 - 12:20
Story Code : 334526
Ethnic and Religious Conflict
Nigeria is a country with widespread ethnic and religious diversity; Muslims live mainly in the north and Christians in the south and southwest. The country’s traditional political structure has been based on a balanced distribution of power between religious and ethnic communities, but the recent elections and the coming to power of a “Muslim-Muslim” government have raised sensitivities in Christian areas.
By emphasizing “oppression of Christians”, Trump is trying to highlight the religious dimension of the crisis. But field studies show that most of the conflicts are economic and tribal: Muslim Fulani herders have migrated south due to drought and lack of pastures and have clashed with local Christian farmers. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram target both Muslims and Christians. Therefore, the current crisis is not purely religious, and victims include both groups.
Economic and geopolitical dimensions of Nigeria
The oil resources of southern Nigeria, which mainly includes Christian areas, are a major factor in domestic and international competition. Oil production in 2025 is reported to be about 1.78 million barrels per day, but it is still far from the budget target of 2 million barrels. Instability in these areas could affect the global energy market and intensify competition from foreign powers.
From a geopolitical perspective, the United States sees Nigeria as a strategic and vital link, despite domestic economic problems and a temporary federal government shutdown. The country’s oil plays a significant role in global energy security and the global market, and any instability in southern Nigeria could affect oil prices and the energy security of the United States and its allies.
Trump’s emphasis on the “oppression of Christians” issue serves several purposes: to attract domestic support from evangelical Christians and strengthen his political base, to limit China’s influence in Nigeria’s oil projects and infrastructure, and to draw global attention to the oil-rich regions and their importance in the energy market. Thus, with its political and diplomatic presence in Nigeria, the United States is trying to maintain control over strategic oil resources and strengthen its geopolitical position in Africa.
Nigeria has a population of about 220 million; half are Muslim and half are Christian. Conflicts occur mainly in the central and northern states, where natural resources and agricultural land are the subject of conflict between communities.
According to the Center for Conflict and Crisis Data (ACLED) and Human Rights Watch, armed conflicts in 2024–2025 resulted in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of about 295,000 people.
According to the author, the focus on “oppression against Christians” is not simply religious, but a propaganda and geopolitical tool. The Nigerian crisis is essentially economic, environmental, and tribal, and simplifying it to religious differences can exacerbate social and ethnic divisions.
An effective solution to crisis management includes: strengthening the security structure and crisis management, especially in conflict areas, reforming economic policies and the equitable distribution of oil resources, dialogue and trust-building between religious and ethnic communities, in order to establish stability and security in Africa’s most populous country and pave the way for the equitable exploitation of strategic oil resources.
Nigeria is a country with widespread ethnic and religious diversity; Muslims live mainly in the north and Christians in the south and southwest. The country’s traditional political structure has been based on a balanced distribution of power between religious and ethnic communities, but the recent elections and the coming to power of a “Muslim-Muslim” government have raised sensitivities in Christian areas.
By emphasizing “oppression of Christians”, Trump is trying to highlight the religious dimension of the crisis. But field studies show that most of the conflicts are economic and tribal: Muslim Fulani herders have migrated south due to drought and lack of pastures and have clashed with local Christian farmers. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram target both Muslims and Christians. Therefore, the current crisis is not purely religious, and victims include both groups.
Economic and geopolitical dimensions of Nigeria
The oil resources of southern Nigeria, which mainly includes Christian areas, are a major factor in domestic and international competition. Oil production in 2025 is reported to be about 1.78 million barrels per day, but it is still far from the budget target of 2 million barrels. Instability in these areas could affect the global energy market and intensify competition from foreign powers.
From a geopolitical perspective, the United States sees Nigeria as a strategic and vital link, despite domestic economic problems and a temporary federal government shutdown. The country’s oil plays a significant role in global energy security and the global market, and any instability in southern Nigeria could affect oil prices and the energy security of the United States and its allies.
Trump’s emphasis on the “oppression of Christians” issue serves several purposes: to attract domestic support from evangelical Christians and strengthen his political base, to limit China’s influence in Nigeria’s oil projects and infrastructure, and to draw global attention to the oil-rich regions and their importance in the energy market. Thus, with its political and diplomatic presence in Nigeria, the United States is trying to maintain control over strategic oil resources and strengthen its geopolitical position in Africa.
Nigeria has a population of about 220 million; half are Muslim and half are Christian. Conflicts occur mainly in the central and northern states, where natural resources and agricultural land are the subject of conflict between communities.
According to the Center for Conflict and Crisis Data (ACLED) and Human Rights Watch, armed conflicts in 2024–2025 resulted in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of about 295,000 people.
According to the author, the focus on “oppression against Christians” is not simply religious, but a propaganda and geopolitical tool. The Nigerian crisis is essentially economic, environmental, and tribal, and simplifying it to religious differences can exacerbate social and ethnic divisions.
An effective solution to crisis management includes: strengthening the security structure and crisis management, especially in conflict areas, reforming economic policies and the equitable distribution of oil resources, dialogue and trust-building between religious and ethnic communities, in order to establish stability and security in Africa’s most populous country and pave the way for the equitable exploitation of strategic oil resources.
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