Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps UK AID Direct has taken to ensure that a proportion of UK Aid funds to Nigeria are dedicated to (1) reducing conflict based on religion or belief, and (2) promoting freedom of religion and belief in the region.

Insecurity has impeded on the rights of people of all faiths in Nigeria. UK Aid Direct closed in October 2023 but the UK continues to support Nigeria to deliver on its constitutional commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) through our development programming and security cooperation. Since 2020, we have provided over £80,000 in funding to promote FoRB in Nigeria, including peacebuilding projects to build dialogue between religious groups, in Plateau, Kaduna, Benue and Niger States. In April 2023 we launched the £40 million Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme (SPRING) to help Nigeria tackle the causes of conflict.