The increasing enforcement of blasphemy laws enshrined in Nigeria’s criminal and Shari’a codes poses a significant risk to religious freedom for Nigerians, especially religious minorities and those who espouse unpopular or dissenting beliefs, worldviews, or religious interpretations. This policy update places Nigeria’s blasphemy laws in social and political context. It describes both penal and Shari’a codes in Nigeria that criminalize blasphemy, as well as high-profile blasphemy cases in recent years, and highlights the problematic impacts these cases have on freedom of religion or belief for Nigerians. It concludes by recommending that the U.S. government support a national dialogue on combating religious intolerance without restricting freedom of speech under the law, as called for in UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 16/18 (2011). This update also highlights several interim policy options for protecting the rights of religious minorities and individuals with dissenting worldviews as the needed civic dialogue unfolds.

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