Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians. On the World Watch List produced by Open Doors, Nigeria comes it at 7th with a persecution level of 88 out of 100.
2025 World Watch List from Open Doors / Screenshot
Fellow Christians face violent persecution from multiple groups, including Fulani extremists, Boko Haram, Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other armed militants who have killed thousands of believers, destroyed hundreds of churches, and forced entire Christian communities to flee their homes.
Open Doors says the violence is systematic, not random.
On October 14, Fulani extremists carried out a wave of coordinated attacks that left at least 13 Christians dead.
The Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, clergyman with the Church of Christ in Nations, is urgently appealing to the United States government to intervene and halt what he describes as an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
“There is a genocide going on in Nigeria, and the world must hear about it,” Dachomo said, “Christians are being hunted, killed, and displaced because of their faith, yet the government remains silent or even protects the perpetrators.”
On October 15, about 30 Christian leaders signed a letter urging Pres. Donald Trump to have the State Department designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.” If it receives such a designation, the government can consider suitable sanctions intended to urge the country to end the persecution of Christians.
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In September, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 to protect Christians and other religious minorities from widespread persecution in Nigeria.
Aside from violence, Christians also suffer discrimination in areas of education, employment, and legal matters because of their faith in 12 northern states where elements of Sharia law are in place.
“When a Christian farmer loses his land, when a Christian child is denied admission to school, when a Christian widow can’t get justice in court—that’s persecution too, and it’s happening on a massive scale,” Open Doors spokesperson Melany Ethridge told MinistryWatch.
Even in the midst of persecution, the Nigerian church refuses to be defeated.
Open Doors has reports from field partners about new churches being established in refugee camps among displaced communities.
“I’ve seen reports of believers offering forgiveness to their attackers—the kind of radical love that only comes from Christ. Some Christians are actively reaching out to former persecutors with the gospel,” she said. “This is your family. They’re not giving up. And neither can we.”
Because of the prolonged persecution in Nigeria, several ministries have been working in the country for years.
- Open Doors: According to Ethridge, Open Doors has been working in Nigeria for decades. “We were there before the violence escalated. We’ll be there long after. We call it presence ministry, and it’s the foundation of everything we do.”
Open Doors works with local churches in Nigeria because “[t]hey’re already doing the work—leading house churches under threat, caring for displaced believers, training new pastors even when it’s dangerous.” Open Doors comes alongside them with resources, training, and support.
They believe working with the local church provides access and effectiveness because local pastors understand the dynamics, speak the language, and have established relationships that allow them to make an impact much faster than a foreign worker could.
Open Doors is careful to vet its local partners over time — looking for ministry effectiveness, spiritual maturity, theological alignment, integrity, and reputation within the community. “We maintain ongoing accountability through regular communication, site visits when security allows, and detailed reporting on both program outcomes and spiritual impact,” Ethridge said.
Donors can give specifically to the “Arise Africa” fund to assist needs among the persecuted in Africa, including Nigeria. However, Ethridge said that giving to the general fund allows them to give to projects in areas of persecution that may not be publicized due to safety concerns.
Ethridge urged fellow believers to pray for Nigerian Christians’ protection, wisdom, and healing from trauma. She also asks Christians to pray for the government of Nigeria to protect all citizens equally.
In the MinistryWatch database, Open Doors US has a donor confidence score of 60, primarily due to a low financial efficiency rating and board composition.
- International Christian Concern: Along with its advocacy work on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world, International Christian Concern also provides tangible assistance in several major areas: emergency relief, community development, Christian convert outreach, gospel initiatives, and education.
For example, it provides widows of Nigerian Christian martyrs with a small plot of land and chickens so they can sell eggs to sustain themselves. It builds schools in refugee camps in Nigeria.
In the MinistryWatch database, International Christian Concern has a high donor confidence score of 97, meaning donors can give with confidence.
- Christian Aid Mission: This missions organization has been supporting indigenous ministry in Nigeria since the 1990s. The missionaries are working among over 30 unreached people groups and are remaining on the field despite the dangers, especially in northern Nigeria, Brittany Tedesco told MinistryWatch.
Missionaries also work in refugee camps starting schools and providing health care, she said. Drilling wells in villages has been a very effective way for missionaries to open doors with Muslim leaders and reach them with the gospel.
Many of the Fulani people are nomadic herdsman, and missionaries have been able to provide “schools on wheels,” and veterinarians to treat their livestock, Tedesco said.
Donors can designate a gift directly to Nigeria and can also find prayer requests for the Nigerian church.
In the MinistryWatch database, Christian Aid Mission has a donor confidence score of 51, meaning donors should exercise caution in giving. The low donor confidence score is primarily due to the fact that the ministry does not file a Form 990 with the IRS or post an audited financial report on its website.
- Voice of the Martyrs (VOM): For at least 30 years, Voice of the Martyrs has been working to help persecuted believers in the northern areas of Nigeria, Todd Nettleton told MinistryWatch. While the persecution has increased recently, it has been going on for decades, he said.
One of the unique aspects of Nigeria is the north/south divide. He said that while there is massive persecution in the north, there are megachurches worshipping in the south.
VOM has staff on the ground in Nigeria that works in partnership with local churches and Christian aid groups. Their goal is to come alongside Christians in Nigeria and serve them. One of the ways it does this is by helping widows of murdered Christians by bringing them to a place of safety where they can heal and create bonds of fellowship with other widows.
In the MinistryWatch database, Voice of the Martyrs has a donor confidence score of 51, meaning donors should exercise caution when giving. The low donor confidence is primarily due to the fact that VOM does not file a Form 990. It does, however, post an audited financial report on its website.
- SIM USA: SIM has missionaries serving in Nigeria, seeking to reach Muslims in the north with the Gospel. It also seeks to support persecuted Christians, engages in health care missions, and has equipped the growing church through theological education.
SIM encourages believers to pray for effective ministry among the growing number of Muslim-background believers, for sufficient support for missionaries among the Fulani people, and for more theological educators, medical professionals, educational consultants, and teachers.
In the MinistryWatch database, SIM USA has a donor confidence score of 53, meaning donors should exercise caution when giving. The low donor confidence is primarily due to the fact that SIM USA does not file a Form 990. It does, however, post an audited financial report on its website.
- Global Christian Relief: In Nigeria, Global Christian Relief works with local partners to provide medical care, emergency food relief, income-generating opportunities, and other services directly to believers who need it most.
Donors can’t give a designated gift to Nigeria through Global Christian Relief. “Any gifts given on this page will go where needed most, including projects in Nigeria,” it says on the ministry website. “We work with our trusted field partners to ensure funds are allocated to significant, urgent needs.”
In the MinistryWatch database, Global Christian Relief has a donor confidence score of 53, meaning donors should exercise caution when giving. The low donor confidence is primarily due to the fact that GCR does not file a Form 990. It does, however, post an audited financial report on its website.
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