Metropolitan Archdiocese of Abuja, Nigeria

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Abuja / Abugen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Gboko, Idah, Katsina-Ala, Lafia, Lokoja, Makurdi, Otukpo

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1981.11.06: Established as Mission sui juris of Abuja / Abugen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Minna)
1989.06.19: Promoted as Diocese of Abuja / Abugen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Kaduna)
1994.03.26: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Abuja / Abugen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Idah, Lokoja and Makurdi)
1995.07.10: Gained suffragan see Otukpo
2000.12.05: Gained suffragan see Lafia
2012.12.29: Gained suffragan sees Gboko and Katsina-Ala

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1998.03)

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2019.11.09 – ...):	Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama (65)
Auxiliary Bishop (2011.11.08 – ...):	Bishop Anselm Umoren, M.S.P. (62) Titular Bishop of Scampa

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Abuja (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama (65)
(2019.11.09 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria)

Per crucem ad Dei gloriam

Born:	1958.07.31 (Kona, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1981.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.04.23

Priest of Yola (Nigeria) (1981.06.06 – 1995.02.03)

Bishop of Jalingo (Nigeria) (1995.02.03 – 2000.04.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Jos (Nigeria) (2000.04.14 – 2019.03.11)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2012.04 – 2018.02.22)

President of Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (2016.02 – 2022.05.06)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria) (2019.03.11 – 2019.11.09)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria) (2019.11.09 – ...)

Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (80)
(1994.03.26 – 2019.11.09)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Saturnino
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Abuja (Nigeria)

Fiat voluntas tua

Born:	1944.01.29 (Kabba, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1969.08.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.01.06
Created Cardinal:	2012.11.24

Priest of Lokoja (Nigeria) (1969.08.03 – 1982.09.10)

Titular Bishop of Thunusuda (1982.09.10 – 1984.10.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Ilorin (Nigeria) (1982.09.10 – 1984.10.20)

Bishop of Ilorin (Nigeria) (1984.10.20 – 1990.07.07)

Apostolic Administrator of Ilorin (Nigeria) (1990 – 1992.03.06)

Coadjutor Bishop of Abuja (Nigeria) (1990.07.07 – 1992.09.28)

Bishop of Abuja (Nigeria) (1992.09.28 – 1994.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria) (1994.03.26 – 2019.11.09)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2000 – 2006)

President of Association of the Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (2001 – 2009.09.01)

President of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (2003.11 – 2007.06)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Saturnino (2012.11.24 [2013.04.07] – ...)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Ahiara (Nigeria) (2013.07.03 – 2018.02.19)

Bishops of Abuja (Roman Rite)

Bishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (80) (later Cardinal)
(1992.09.28 – 1994.03.26)

(see above)

Cardinal Dominic Ignatius Ekandem
(1989.06.19 – 1992.09.28)

In cruce salus

Born:	1917 (Obio Ibiono, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1947.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1954.02.07
Created Cardinal:	1976.05.24
Died:	1995.11.24 (Garki, Nigeria † 77)

Priest of Calabar (Nigeria) (1947.12.07 – 1953.08.07)

Titular Bishop of Hierapolis in Isauria (1953.08.07 – 1963.03.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Calabar (Nigeria) (1953.08.07 – 1963.03.01)

Bishop of Ikot Ekpene (Nigeria) (1963.03.01 – 1989.06.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Port Harcourt (Nigeria) (1970 – 1973)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (1973 – 1979)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcello (1976.05.24 – 1995.11.24)

Founder of Missionary Society of Saint Paul of Nigeria (1977.10.23)

President of Association of the Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (1978 – 1983)

Ecclesiastical Superior of Abuja (Nigeria) (1981.11.06 – 1989.06.19)

Archbishop-Bishop of Abuja (Nigeria) (1989.06.19 – 1992.09.28)

Ecclesiastical Superiors of Abuja (Roman Rite)

Cardinal Dominic Ignatius Ekandem
(1981.11.06 – 1989.06.19)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama (65) (2019.03.11 – 2019.11.09)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (80) (later Cardinal) (1990.07.07 – 1992.09.28)

Special Churches

Pro-Cathedral: Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Abuja, Abuja
Future Cathedral: Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles, Abuja, Abuja
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Lokoja (↙), Minna (↖), Kafanchan (↗), Lafia (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 8,000 km²

Population: 917,002 Catholics (20.0% of 4,581,950 total)

Pastoral Centres: 145 parishes, 28 missions

Personnel: 282 priests (163 diocesan, 119 religious), 623 religious (229 brothers, 394 sisters), 132 seminarians