US report urges trade restrictions on Nigerian beef exports to pressure armed groups and curb violence.
Lawmakers in the United States Congress are considering recommending restrictions on Nigeria’s beef and cattle-related exports as part of efforts to curb financing linked to armed groups.
The proposal appears in a report titled “Ending the Persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” compiled after investigations into attacks attributed to Fulani militias and other armed actors. The report urges Washington to “review and use points of leverage,” including trade measures, to compel disarmament and reduce violence.
Specifically, lawmakers propose blocking exports of beef and related cattle products to key African markets such as Ivory Coast, Ghana, South Africa, and Senegal. The measure is framed as an economic pressure tactic aimed at disrupting financial flows tied to pastoral networks accused of fueling instability.
Nigeria has battled multiple security crises over the past decade, including insurgency in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, and farmer-herder clashes in the Middle Belt. States such as Benue, Plateau, and Kaduna have witnessed deadly confrontations over land use, grazing routes, and resource control, with thousands killed and displaced.
The US has historically partnered with Nigeria on counterterrorism operations against groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). However, the latest recommendation signals a shift toward economic and diplomatic pressure in addition to security cooperation.
Lawmakers are also urging Nigeria to strengthen early-warning systems, deploy more capable security forces, and hold perpetrators accountable.
Trade data show Nigeria remains a minor player in the global beef market. According to the United Nations COMTRADE database, Nigeria exported meat and edible meat offal worth about $200,660 in 2021.
Data from the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution indicate that the country exported roughly 44.5 tonnes of frozen boneless beef in 2021, valued at about $33,000 underscoring that the sector is largely domestically focused.
However, Livestock Development Minister Mukhtar Maiha has projected that Nigeria could generate more than N3.2 billion annually from red meat exports if the industry is restructured and expanded.
Beyond the proposed export restrictions, congressional investigators aligned with the administration of Donald Trump have outlined additional steps.
These include negotiating a bilateral agreement to protect vulnerable Christian communities, implementing provisions of the FY26 National Security and State Department Appropriations Act to withhold certain US funding until Nigeria takes concrete action, and invoking Country of Particular Concern (CPC) presidential directives.
The report also recommends targeted sanctions against individuals linked to religious violence, visa restrictions for offenders, and calls for the repeal of Sharia-based criminal codes and anti-blasphemy laws cited as enabling persecution.
Analysts warn that while blocking cattle exports may aim to weaken illicit financial networks, broad trade restrictions could also affect legitimate pastoral communities and disrupt regional livestock supply chains.
The proposal highlights how Nigeria’s internal security challenges are increasingly influencing its international economic and diplomatic relations.
