Speaker criticizes Nigeria's lobbying spending after country designated for religious-rights concerns

A committee speaker defended Nigeria's recent designation as a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act and criticized the country's use of U.S. lobbying firms to influence opinion in Washington.

The speaker said the designation was "necessary, long overdue, and bold," and linked it to mass killings by Boko Haram and other armed groups that target religious communities. He credited the International Religious Freedom Act with enabling such designations and called it a major tool in U.S. efforts to press for religious liberty.

Turning to foreign influence in Washington, the speaker alleged that Nigeria had hired lobbying firms to influence Congress and the executive branch. The transcript names DCI and Valcour and, in the speaker's characterization, cited a $9,000,000 figure and monthly retainers described as $750,000 per month and an additional $120,000-per-month contract. The speaker framed those contracts as part of efforts to shape talking points and downplay human-rights concerns.

The speaker urged colleagues to be attentive to paid advocacy and to maintain oversight of foreign influence in U.S. policymaking. No formal motions or votes on sanctions or related measures were recorded in the transcript excerpt.