The Nigerian federal government enforces blasphemy laws that include a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment for acts “persons consider as a public insult on their religion.” Twelve Nigerian state governments also enforce their own more stringent blasphemy laws to prosecute and imprison individuals perceived to have insulted religion, including Christians, Muslims, and humanists. There are now four Nigerians incarcerated and convicted of blasphemy, including two religious leaders. In 2021, police arrested humanist Mubarak Bala for “insulting the Prophet,” and in 2022, a court sentenced him to decades in prison. Following an international outcry, an appeals court reduced his sentence to five years and released him in 2024. Mr. Bala, formerly the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, is living abroad while his sentence in under appeal. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi speaks with humanist Mubarak Bala to discuss his experience of prosecution and imprisonment under Nigeria’s blasphemy laws and how these laws impact religious freedom and belief in the country.

Read USCIRF’s 2025 Annual Report Chapter on Nigeria and USCIRF’s most recent Nigeria Country Update.

With Contributions from:

Veronica McCarthy, Public Affairs Specialist, USCIRF