Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has dismissed reports in some Western media alleging a genocide against Christians in the country, describing such narratives as “false” and damaging to Nigeria’s image globally.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi, Tuggar said the claim of religious persecution was a gross distortion of Nigeria’s complex socio-political realities.
“One of our major challenges at the moment is the false narratives that are being created about Nigeria — this issue of religious persecution, that Christians are being persecuted — which couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said, according to a Reuters report.
The minister stressed that the country remains open and inclusive, urging potential investors to visit Nigeria and “see for themselves” rather than rely on misleading accounts.
Tuggar’s remarks come amid a surge of online commentary from some United States political figures accusing the Nigerian government of enabling targeted attacks against Christians — allegations Nigerian officials have repeatedly denied.
Nigeria, with an estimated population of 230 million people, is nearly evenly split between Muslims and Christians.
While the country has experienced intermittent violence, Tuggar explained that such crises are driven by ethnic, economic, and territorial disputes rather than religion.
He acknowledged that the Boko Haram insurgency, which has lasted more than 15 years in the North-East, has caused immense suffering but should not be viewed through a purely religious lens.
Beyond addressing the misrepresentation of Nigeria’s security situation, the minister also spoke about economic resilience and foreign policy direction under the Tinubu administration.
According to CNBC Africa, Tuggar said Nigeria would remain largely unaffected by the 15 percent tariff recently imposed by the United States on Nigerian exports, including oil and gas.
“We are a very large country of 230 million people, so we have a huge internal market,” he said. “That also means we have a larger talent pool than other countries.”
He added that Nigeria maintains strong trade relationships with countries like China, India, and Brazil, stressing that the government’s foreign policy was guided by “national interest” rather than ideological alignment.
“Our relationships are not based on ideology; they’re based on interest — beginning with our national interest,” Tuggar said.
“We trade with the U.S., China, Brazil, and India, and our focus is not necessarily on one axis or another, especially in a multi-polar world.”
He also highlighted ongoing domestic reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment, including efforts to stabilize the exchange rate, improve access to foreign exchange, offer tax incentives, and implement structural reforms in the power sector.
Tuggar further cautioned developed nations against treating Africa merely as a reservoir of raw materials.
“Sometimes it’s like the game Minecraft — there’s oil, there’s gas, there’s critical minerals, rare earths. We put a bit of this, we invest in this. No, that’s not the way it goes,” he said.
“The engagement should be based on mutual respect and shared interests. Africa needs to develop; otherwise, we will continue to face challenges like irregular migration and instability.”
