Christianity in Nigeria

Christianity in Nigeria is one of the main religions practiced in the country, along with Islam and Traditional African religions. It began in the 15th century when religious leaders from Portugal arrived. By 2020, about 45% of Nigerians identified as Christian, with most belonging to Protestant groups.

Today, Nigeria has one of the largest Christian populations in Africa, with many people living in the southern and central parts of the country. In recent years, a large number of Christians in Nigeria have chosen to follow non-denominational groups.

Denominations

In 1963, about 34% of Nigeria's people were Christian. By 2020, this grew to around 46%.

Catholicism

Main article: Catholic Church in Nigeria

The Catholic Church has grown in Nigeria. In 2020, about 32 million people were Catholic there. Major areas include Abuja, Benin City, Calabar, Ibadan, Jos, Kaduna, Lagos, Onitsha, and Owerri.

Anglican Church of Nigeria

The Church of Nigeria has areas such as Lagos, Ibadan, Ondo, Edo, The Niger, Niger Delta, Owerri, Abuja, Kaduna, and Jos. It had about 18 million members in 2016.

The Apostolic Church Nigeria

The Apostolic Church Nigeria is a Christian group with its home office in Lagos. It had 4.5 million members in 2016.

Assemblies of God

The General Council of the Assemblies of God Nigeria began with help from the Assemblies of God USA in 1934 and was created in 1964. By 2019, it had over 16,000 churches and 3.6 million members.

Church of Christ in Nigeria

The Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) started in 1904 and is based in Jos. It is thought to have over 8 million members.

Evangelical Church Winning All

The Evangelical Church Winning All has about 6,000 churches and 6 million members. It began with a group that started working in Nigeria in 1893.

Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ

The Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ began in Nasarawa State in 1916 and now has about 1.5 million members.

Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria

The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria separated from another group in 1913 and now has about 2.2 million members in over 2,400 churches across Nigeria.

Methodist Church Nigeria

The Methodist Church Nigeria is one of the biggest Methodist groups and has around two million members. It has grown quickly since 2000.

Nigerian Baptist Convention

The Nigerian Baptist Convention had about 6.5 million members in 2008. It began in 1850 and now has offices in many places in Nigeria.

Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has almost 4 million members. It started in the mid-1800s with help from the Church of Scotland.

Redeemed Christian Church of God

The Redeemed Christian Church of God is a large Christian group started in Lagos. By 2008, it had 14,000 churches and 5 million members in Nigeria.

QIC-United Evangelical Church

The QIC-United Evangelical Church has existed since 1887 and has over 2 million members.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria had nearly 250,000 members in 2016, spread across three groups.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is also growing in Nigeria. By 2012, it had over 100,000 members and 315 churches.

Other

By 2014, the number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Nigeria grew to over 360,000. The New Apostolic Church in Nigeria reported 300,000 members in 2016.

Since the 1990s, many new Christian groups started by Africans have grown quickly. These include Mountain of Fire and Miracles, Christ Embassy, Streams of Joy International, Celestial Church of Christ, and Dominion City, with millions of members.

National Church of Nigeria

The National Church of Nigeria is a special church building used by many Christian groups in Nigeria. It is part of the Christian Association of Nigeria, which brings together different Christian denominations. The church is found in Abuja.

Freedom of religion

Nigeria is a place where people can choose their own religion, but sometimes people face difficulties because of their beliefs.

Some groups have worked to create trouble for Christians in Nigeria, and many Christians have been hurt or killed because of their faith. This has drawn attention from other countries, and leaders have spoken about taking action to help.