Religion in Nigeria

Religion In Nigeria

There exist several religions in Nigeria, helping to accentuate regional and ethnic distinctions. All religions represented in Nigeria were practiced in every major city in 1990. However, Islam dominated the north and had a number of supporters in the South Western, Yoruba part of the country. Protestantism and local syncretic Christianity are also in evidence in Yoruba areas, while Catholicism dominates the Igbo and closely related areas. Both Protestantism and Catholicism dominated in the Ibibio, Annang, and the Efik kiosa lands.

The 1963 census although controversial, indicated that 47 percent of Nigerians were Muslim, 35 percent Christian, and 18 percent members of local indigenous congregations. If accurate, this indicated a sharp increase since 1953 in the number of Christians (up 13 percent); a slight decline among those professing indigenous beliefs, compared with 20 percent; and only a modest (4 percent) rise of Muslims.

From the 1990's to the 2000's, there has been significant growth in Protestant Churches including the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Winners' Chapel, Christ Apostolic Church (the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria), Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Evangelical Church of West Africa, Mountain of Fire and Miracles, Christ Embassy, The Synagogue Church Of All Nations, Church of the Latter Day Saints and the Aladura Church, indigenous Christian churches especially strong in the Yoruba and Igbo areas, and of evangelical churches in general. These Churches have spilled over into adjacent and southern areas of the middle belt. Denominations like theSeventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria and the Mormons have also flourished.

According to a 2011 report, about 50.8% of Nigeria's population are Christians, 47.8% are Muslims and 1.4% adhere to other religions. Among Christians, 24.8% are Catholic, 74.1% are Protestant, 0.9% belong to other Christian denominations and a few of them are Orthodox Christians.

In terms of Nigeria's major ethnic groups religious affiliations, the Hausa ethnic group in the North is 95% Muslims and 5% Christians, the West which is the Yoruba tribe is 60% Christians and 30% Muslim with 10% going to adherents of other African religions while the Igbos in the East and the Ijaw in the South are 98% Christians (Catholics) and 2% practice traditional religions. The middle belt of Nigeria contains the largest number of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria and they are mostly Christians and members of traditional religions with few Muslim converts.

Other leading Protestant churches in the country are the Church of Nigeria, of the Anglican communion, Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria, the Nigerian Baptist Convention and The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations. The Yoruba area contains a large Anglican population, while Igboland is predominantly Catholic and the Edo area is predominantly Assemblies of God which was introduced into Nigeria by Augustus Ehurie Wogu and his associates at Old Umuahia.