Where the church stands in Nigeria
Nigeria holds one of the largest Christian populations in the world and sends missionaries across Africa and beyond. It is also, year after year, the country where more Christians are killed for their faith than anywhere else, with attacks concentrated in the northern and middle-belt states.
Nigerian believers keep going anyway — planting churches in the very regions where that is most costly, and reaching Hausa and Fulani peoples who number in the tens of millions.
Signs of hope
A large, confident, sending church that continues planting into the regions where the cost is highest.
The honest difficulty
Sustained violence against Christian communities in the north and middle belt, and mass displacement.
What "Less-reached" means
There is a church, but it is small relative to the population, or the Christian identity is far more widespread than active faith. Much of the nation can still live a whole life without meeting a follower of Jesus.
In Nigeria the majority religious context is Christianity (~46%), Islam (~53%). The largest population still considered without meaningful Gospel access is the Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri peoples of the north.
How to pray for Nigeria
Prayer is not a substitute for going; it is how going begins. Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.
- Pray for Christians in northern and middle-belt Nigeria facing violence.
- Ask God to comfort families who have lost members and homes.
- Pray for Nigerian believers reaching Hausa and Fulani neighbours in love, not retaliation.
- Pray for depth and integrity in a church large enough to shape a nation.
People groups in Nigeria
A nation is not one people. These are the groups profiled on this site who live here — each with its own language, its own Scripture status, and its own reasons the Gospel has or has not reached it.
Questions people ask about Nigeria
Is Nigeria an unreached nation?
Nigeria is classified as less-reached. There is a church, but it is small relative to the population, or the Christian identity is far more widespread than active faith. Much of the nation can still live a whole life without meeting a follower of Jesus. Roughly 46% of the population identifies as Christian and about 28% as evangelical, with an estimated 100 of its 560 people groups still considered unreached. Figures are rounded estimates and vary by source and year.
How many Christians are there in Nigeria?
About 46% of Nigeria's roughly 230 million people identify as Christian — approximately 106 million people. Around 28% are evangelical. The largest group still without meaningful Gospel access is the Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri peoples of the north.
What is the main religion in Nigeria?
Religious affiliation in Nigeria: Christianity (~46%), Islam (~53%). About 46% of the population identifies as Christian and about 28% as evangelical.
How many people groups are there in Nigeria?
Joshua Project counts about 560 distinct people groups in Nigeria, and 100 of them are considered unreached. Among the least-reached: Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri peoples of the north.
Is it dangerous to be a Christian in Nigeria?
Yes. Nigeria is ranked No. 7 on Open Doors' World Watch List 2025 — one of the ten countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution, measured across pressure in daily life and violence. The prayer points on this page are a place to start praying for believers there.
How can I pray for Nigeria?
Pray for Christians in northern and middle-belt Nigeria facing violence. Ask God to comfort families who have lost members and homes. Pick one of these, pray it for two minutes a day for a week, and ask one other person to pray it with you.