United States officials have pledged to closely monitor Nigeria’s forthcoming presidential election in January, warning that the exercise could heighten political tensions and trigger violence amid the country’s prevailing security challenges.
The Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, raised the concern during a congressional hearing on violence in Nigeria before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa on Thursday.
In his prepared testimony, Garcia identified the election, alongside the country’s overstretched security infrastructure, limited judicial presence in parts of the Middle Belt and inadequate resources, as major challenges to tackling insecurity.
He said, “I am realistic about the challenges ahead. For example, Nigeria will hold presidential elections in January, which could spur violence.”
Also speaking at the hearing, US Congressman Riley Moore urged the American government to pay close attention to developments surrounding the election.
“We need to be watching these presidential elections like a hawk. And I’m gonna be watching them, and we all need to be watching them,” Moore said.
Responding, the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Riley Barnes, said the State Department had a dedicated team monitoring elections across the world, with Nigeria considered a high-priority country.
He assured lawmakers that the department would closely follow the electoral process, stating, “We’re also tracking them closely. We have a team that, in my bureau, focuses on elections in many spots around the world, especially high-priority ones like this one. So we’re gonna be watching it very closely as well.”
The hearing also examined persistent attacks on Christian communities, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, and the Federal Government’s efforts to protect vulnerable populations.
Garcia disclosed that Washington was engaging the Nigerian government through a Joint Working Group established following Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern by US President Donald Trump on October 31, 2025.
He said discussions under the arrangement included increased security deployments, prompt responses to early warnings, accountability for perpetrators and improved military cooperation.
The US official added that Washington expected Nigeria to record measurable improvements in addressing the violence, noting that diplomatic engagement and security cooperation with the country would continue.
