Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is a big church group in Nigeria. It follows the beliefs of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

This church has twenty-nine synods, around 110 presbyteries, over 5,000 parishes, and almost 5,000 ministers. It has about 7 million members all across Nigeria. The leaders of the church are working to start even more synods to share their beliefs with more people.

History

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria started when missionaries, led by Reverend Masterson Waddell Hope from the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, arrived in Calabar and built the first church there in 1846. The church grew over time, and in 1921, the Synod of Biafra was formed.

In 1960, the church became known as the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. It grew quickly, and by 1996, it already had over 1 million members. The church has two important schools for training leaders and has continued to grow across Nigeria.

In recent years, the church has faced challenges but has also grown to include many more members and churches across the country. Today, its main office is located in Ogpor in Abia state in southeastern Nigeria.

Principal officers

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has important leaders who help guide the church. The main leader is called the Prelate and Moderator of the General Assembly, and it is currently held by Most Rev Prof. Ekpenyong N. Akpanika PhD. There are also other key leaders such as the Principal Clerk, Most Rev Dr. Miracle Ajah, PhD, and other helpful officers who support the church.

Structure and missions

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has groups all over the country, including in the Republics of Benin and Togo. The church is organized into smaller groups called sessions, then presbyteries, synods, and finally the General Assembly, which makes the big decisions. Each area has parishes with one to nine churches, and leaders called elders help guide these churches. The General Assembly started from a mission by Scotland and works together with the Church of Scotland. Some of the older groups, called synods, include the Synod of Akwa, Synod of Calabar, and Synod of The East, among others.

29 new synods of PCN

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is growing, and new groups called "synods" are being added to help share their message. Here is a list of the 29 new synods:

• Abuja Synod
• Abasi Ibom Synod
• Akwa Synod
• Northern Calabar Synod
• Calabar Synod
• Arochukwu Synod
• Ohafia Synod
• East Synod
• Abakaliki Synod
• Enugu Synod
• Anambra Mission Synod
• Niger Delta Synod
• Edo Delta Mission Synod
• North-West Mission Synod
• Abuja Synod
• Benue Mission Synod
• Plateau Mission Synod
• North-East Mission Synod
• Francophone Mission Synod at Cotonou
• Lagos Synod
• Eko Synod
• Ibadan Mission Synod
• Aba Synod
• Umuahia Synod
• Imo Mission Synod
• Upper Cross River South Synod
• Upper Cross River Central Synod
• Ogoja Synod
• Afikpo Synod
• Ohaozara Synod

Theology

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria follows several important Christian beliefs. These include the Apostles Creed, Athanasian Creed, Nicene Creed, Heidelberg Catechism, Second Helvetic Confession, and the Westminster Confession of Faith. These guiding principles help shape the church's teachings and practices.

Theological Schools

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has two schools to help train its ministers. One is the Hugh Goldie Lay/Theological Training Institution in Arochukwu, Abia State, which works with Abia State University in Uturu. The other is Essien Ukpabio Presbyterian Theological College in Itu, Akwa Ibom State, which is connected to the University of Calabar. These schools help prepare people to serve in the church.

Interchurch organisations

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is part of many important groups, including the World Council of Churches, the All Africa Conference of Churches, the Christian Council of Nigeria, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the Reformed Ecumenical Council. It started in the 19th century and has had women serving as ministers for many years. The main office is in Aba, Nigeria, and the leader’s office is in Calabar. The current leader is Ekpenyong Nyong Akpanika.

DIPA New Officers

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria chose two new officers to help manage the Department of Information and Public Affairs. Their work began on September 1, 2025. The two officers are:

• Rev. Godfrey Okon (Calabar Office) https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfreymokon
• Rev. Albert Ikechukwu Chima (Aba Office)

DIPA Old Officers

These are the officers in charge of information and public affairs for the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.

• Rt. Rev. Nnoke Ibe, PhD (Director of Information and Public Affairs of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria)
• Rev Chijioke Agbaeze
• Rev. Daniel Ikenga Eke (ICT)
• Mr. Mandor Benbella Peter (Media)