A new report by International Christian Concern (ICC) is raising alarm over what it describes as a sharp and sustained rise in the persecution of Christians across Africa.
The report, titled Troubling Trends: Escalating Persecution of Christians in Africa, documents violent incidents from the first quarter of 2025, highlighting growing threats to believers in countries including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Kenya.
According to ICC, Christians in these regions are increasingly targeted by extremist groups, with attacks involving killings, abductions, and forced displacement. The situation is particularly dire in Nigeria, where ongoing violence—primarily attributed to Islamist militants and armed criminal groups—continues to claim lives and displace communities.
The report warns that the conflict, once concentrated in northern Nigeria, is now spreading further south into the Middle Belt and beyond.
In the DRC, where an estimated 95 percent of the population is Christian, the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are responsible for brutal assaults in eastern provinces such as North Kivu. These attacks have led to mass displacement and deepening humanitarian challenges.
Kenya also features prominently in the report, with Christian communities in the northeastern and coastal regions facing increasing pressure from the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab. ICC expresses concern over what it describes as inadequate protection by local authorities and, in some cases, alleged complicity.
The report also criticizes the limited international response to the growing crisis. While Nigeria was previously designated by the U.S. State Department as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for religious freedom violations, that designation was lifted in 2021. ICC is now calling for its reinstatement and urging similar recognition for the DRC.
The report highlights House Resolution 220, currently before the U.S. Congress, which aims to restore Nigeria’s CPC status—a move that would enable greater diplomatic and humanitarian intervention.
Speaking on the findings, ICC President Jeff King urged Christians worldwide to stand in prayer and advocacy for those suffering: “The Church in Africa is facing some of the most severe challenges of our time. We must not look away. These are our brothers and sisters.”
