Pray for Nigeria

About Nigeria

The capital is Abuja. People speak English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and many other languages. Islam and Christianity are the two main faiths.

Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.

Prayer briefing for Nigeria

Last updated November 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.

Current events

Armed attacks on villages continue in the north. On 23 October gunmen attacked Binnari village in Taraba State, and Amnesty International says at least 40 people were killed. Reports say raids, kidnappings for ransom and cattle theft have surged across northern Nigeria. The general elections are now less than three months away, and on 6 October the electoral commission marked 100 days to the vote with a meeting for stakeholders.

We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.

Leadership and politics

Nigeria is a federal republic of 36 states. The President, Bola Tinubu, is both head of state and head of government, and the Vice President is Kashim Shettima. The electoral commission has set the presidential and National Assembly elections for 16 January 2027 and the governorship elections for 6 February 2027, so the coming months are a time of campaigning.

We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.

Economic health

The economy grew about 4.2% in the first half of 2026, and the World Bank expects growth of about 4.4% a year to 2028. Inflation has come down from about 28% in early 2025 to about 15% at the end of 2025, but higher fuel prices are slowing the fall. The World Bank has said that about 6 in 10 Nigerians live in poverty, and the rate has only recently stopped rising.

We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.

Social and cultural issues

Nigeria is home to many peoples and languages, with the Hausa and Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo among the largest. The north is mostly Muslim, the south mostly Christian, and the Middle Belt has a mix of mostly Christian farmers and mostly Muslim herders, where violence has turned deadly, with land, ethnicity and religion all named as causes. About 3.5 million people were displaced inside the country at the end of 2025, and children and families in the north are among the most vulnerable.

We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.

Spiritual landscape

Pew Research Center estimated that in 2020 about 56% of Nigerians were Muslim and about 43% were Christian. Christians are found mostly in the south and the Middle Belt, and Muslims mostly in the north.

We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.

Religious freedom

The constitution protects freedom of religion, but twelve northern states use Sharia-based criminal law alongside civil law, and blasphemy can be punished. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reports that armed groups, including Boko Haram, ISWAP and some armed herder groups, have attacked both Christians and Muslims, in churches, mosques and schools. The United States designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in October 2025, which the Nigerian government disputed, saying the violence is not religious persecution.

We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.

Historical wounds

Nigeria was under British colonial rule before independence. Coups in 1966 were followed by the civil war of 1967 to 1970, when the Biafra region tried to break away, and by many estimates more than a million people died, many from hunger. The Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast has brought many years of loss.

We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.

Let us pray together

Our Father, we come to You together for Nigeria. Protect villages, farmers and families from violence, and comfort all who grieve, Christian and Muslim alike. Give President Tinubu and all leaders wisdom, integrity and justice, and grant peaceful and fair elections. Provide for every family facing hunger and rising prices, and give honest stewardship of the nation's wealth. Bring reconciliation between peoples and protect the displaced and the children of the north. Let hope and the truth of Your love spread across the land, and keep believers safe and free to worship. Heal the deep wounds of war and conflict, and lead Nigeria in forgiveness and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Sources

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