Metropolitan Archdiocese of Benin City, Nigeria 🇳🇬

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Benin City / Urbis Beninen(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Auchi, Bomadi, Issele-Uku, Uromi, Warri

Neighbouring Dioceses: Ondo (↖), Auchi (↗), Uromi (↗), Issele-Uku (→), Warri (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1884.05.02: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Niger (English) / Niger Superiore (Italiano) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Deux Guinées)
1911.08.24: Renamed as Apostolic Prefecture of Western Nigeria (English) / Nigeria Occidentale (Italiano) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Eastern Nigeria)
1918.08.24: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Western Nigeria (English) / Nigeria Occidentale (Italiano)
1929.07.18: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Nigeria (English) / Nigeria Settentrionale (Italiano) (lost territory to Apostolic Prefecture of Northern Nigeria)
1934.07.09: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Benue and Apostolic Prefecture of Calabar
1943.01.12: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Asaba-Benin (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Ondo-Ilorin)
1950.04.18: Promoted as Diocese of Benin City / Urbis Beninen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Lagos)
1955.02.21: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Kabba
1964.03.10: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Warri
1973.07.05: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Issele-Uku
1994.03.26: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Benin City / Urbis Beninen(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Issele-Uku and Warri)
2002.11.06: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Auchi and gained suffragan see Auchi
2005.12.14: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Uromi and gained suffragan see Uromi
2017.09.21: Gained suffragan see Bomadi

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop:

vacant

Apostolic Administrator (2026.07.10 – ...):

Bishop Donatus Aihmiosion Ogun, O.S.A. (59)

Bishop of Uromi (Nigeria)

General Secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria

Monsignors (9)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Benin City (Roman Rite)

Bishop Donatus Aihmiosion Ogun, O.S.A. (59)
(Apostolic Administrator 2026.07.10 – ...)

Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze
(2011.03.18 – 2026.07.09)

Ut testimonium perhibeam veritat

Born:	1956.08.25 (Kaduna, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1987.10.03
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.02.25
Died:	2026.07.09 (Nigeria † 69)

Priest of Issele-Uku (Nigeria) (1987.10.03 – 2005.12.14)

Bishop of Uromi (Nigeria) (2005.12.14 – 2011.03.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (2011.03.18 – 2026.07.09)

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

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (2018.02.22 – 2022.03.09)

Apostolic Administrator of Warri (Nigeria) (2022.04.18 – 2022.12.28)

Bishop Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji (94)
(Apostolic Administrator 2010.05.31 – 2011.03.18)

Archbishop Richard Anthony Burke, S.P.S. (77)
(2007.12.24 – 2010.05.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Benin City (Nigeria)

Born:	1949.02.19 (Clonmel, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1975.05.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.01.06

Coadjutor Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1995.12.06 – 1997.03.03)

Bishop of Warri (Nigeria) (1997.03.03 – 2007.12.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (2007.12.24 – 2010.05.31)

Apostolic Administrator of Warri (Nigeria) (2008.01 – 2010.03.29)

Archbishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu
(1994.03.26 – 2006.11.21)

Ut unum sint

Born:	1931.10.26 (Uromi, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1963.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.11.21
Died:	2024.08.06 (Benin City, Nigeria † 92)

Priest of Benin City (Nigeria) (1963.07.07 – 1971.06.05)

Titular Bishop of Castabala (1971.06.05 – 1973.07.05)

Coadjutor Bishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1971.06.05 – 1973.07.05)

Bishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1973.07.05 – 1994.03.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1994.03.26 – 2006.11.21)

Bishops of Benin City (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu (later Archbishop)
(1973.07.05 – 1994.03.26)

(see above)

Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly, S.M.A.
(1950.04.18 – 1973.07.05)

Born:	1894.08.31 (Bearnacreagh, Galway, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1921.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.06.02
Died:	1991.08.18 (Cork, Ireland † 96)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Nigeria) (1939.12.11 – 1943.01.12)

Titular Bishop of Thignica (1939.12.11 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Asaba-Benin (Nigeria) (1943.01.12 – 1950.04.18)

Bishop of Benin City (Nigeria) (1950.04.18 – 1973.07.05)

Vicars Apostolic of Asaba-Benin (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly, S.M.A.
(1943.01.12 – 1950.04.18)

(see above)

Vicars Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Roman Rite)

Bishop Patrick Joseph Kelly, S.M.A.
(1939.12.11 – 1943.01.12)

(see above)

Bishop Leo Hale Taylor, S.M.A. (later Archbishop)
(1934.02.26 – 1939.06.13)

Born:	1889.09.27 (Montevideo, MN, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1914.06.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1934.06.24
Died:	1965.10.27 (Lagos, Nigeria † 76)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Nigeria) (1934.02.26 – 1939.06.13)

Titular Bishop of Vartana (1934.02.26 – 1950.04.18)

Vicar Apostolic of Bight of Benin (Nigeria) (1939.06.13 – 1943.01.12)

Vicar Apostolic of Lagos (Nigeria) (1943.01.12 – 1950.04.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos (Nigeria) (1950.04.18 – 1965.07.06)

Titular Archbishop of Madytus (1965.07.06 – 1965.10.27)

Bishop Thomas Broderick, S.M.A.
(1918.08.24 – 1933.10.13)

Born:	1882.12.23 (Kilflynn, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1906.07.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1918.12.08
Died:	1933.10.13 (Genova, Italy † 50)

Titular Bishop of Petnelissus (1918.08.24 – 1933.10.13)

Vicar Apostolic of Northern Nigeria (Nigeria) (1918.08.24 – 1933.10.13)

Prefects Apostolic of Western Nigeria (Roman Rite)

Fr. Carlo Zappa, S.M.A.
(1911 – 1917)

Died:

1917

Prefect Apostolic of Western Nigeria (Nigeria) (1911 – 1917)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Patrick Ebosele Ekpu (later Archbishop) (1971.06.05 – 1973.07.05)