American rapper Nicki Minaj has urged celebrities and social media influencers to speak out about violence against Christians in Nigeria, saying her Nigerian pastor and reports of attacks on Christian communities influenced her decision to address the issue.

The rapper made the remarks during an X Takeover event at Tesla’s Giga Texas facility in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. In a video circulated online earlier today, she said: 

“For Nigeria personally, my pastor is from Nigeria, so I have a link to Nigeria because of him. And of course, I have a lot of Nigerian Barbz, but what I started seeing was the brutality with which Christians are being treated there just for being Christian."

Nicki Minaj, whose fans are known as Barbz, questioned why more public figures were not drawing attention to the issue. She suggested that some people avoid speaking about difficult subjects because they are not considered popular topics. She called on more entertainers and influencers to join the effort to raise awareness about the treatment of Christians in Nigeria.

“So right now, actually, I’m hoping that more celebrities or people, influencers, I’m hoping that they come aboard the train to start speaking out about what’s happening to Christians in Nigeria. And I look forward to doing more to help in that way, in that cause,” she said.

The comments follow the rapper's previous interventions on religious freedom in Nigeria. In November 2025, she spoke at an event hosted by the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York, where she called for greater attention to reports of violence against Christians.

During that appearance, she said protecting Christians from persecution should not be about dividing people but about defending religious freedom. She also pledged to continue speaking against religious persecution.

Nicki Minaj’s latest comments come amid international debate over the causes and religious dimensions of violence in Nigeria. The Nigerian government has rejected claims that the country is experiencing a systematic campaign of genocide against Christians, maintaining that insecurity affects people of different religious backgrounds.