Diocese of

Sokoto

Nigeria

Continent: Western and Northern Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Sokoto / Sokotoën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kaduna

Neighbouring Dioceses: Kandi (↙), Niamey (↖), Maradi (↗), Zaria (↘), Kontagora (↓), Ilorin (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1953.06.29: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Sokoto / Sokotoën(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Prefecture of Kaduna)
1964.06.16: Promoted as Diocese of Sokoto / Sokotoën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Kaduna)
1995.12.15: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Kontagora
2023.10.16: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Katsina

Contact Info

Address: Bishop’s House, 1 Aliyu Jodi Road, P.O. Box 2556, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Phone: (060)23-22-28; (080)660.00.507

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.06.10 – ...):

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (73)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Sokoto (Roman Rite)

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (73)
(2011.06.10 – ...)

Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria)

Born:	1952.08.31 (Kulu, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1976.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2011.09.08

Priest of Kaduna (Nigeria) (1976.12.19 – 2011.06.10)

Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria) (2011.06.10 – ...)

Bishop Kevin Joseph Aje
(1984.12.03 – 2011.06.10)

Born:	1934.04.25 (Amper, Nigeria)
Ordained Priest:	1966.06.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.01.06
Died:	2019.05.27 (Sokoto, Nigeria † 85)

Coadjutor Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria) (1982.10.15 – 1984.12.03)

Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria) (1984.12.03 – 2011.06.10)

Bishop Michael James Dempsey, O.P.
(1967.07.13 – 1984.12.03)

Born:	1912.02.22 (Providence, RI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1942.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.08.15
Died:	1996.03.19 (Denver, CO, USA † 84)

Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria) (1967.07.13 – 1984.12.03)

Bishop Edward Thaddeus Lawton, O.P.
(1964.06.16 – 1966.12.19)

Born:	1913.10.12 (South Boston, MA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1943.06.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.08.15
Died:	1966.12.19 (Sokoto, Nigeria † 53)

Prefect Apostolic of Sokoto (Nigeria) (1954.01.15 – 1964.06.16)

Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria) (1964.06.16 – 1966.12.19)

Prefects Apostolic of Sokoto (Roman Rite)

Fr. Edward Thaddeus Lawton, O.P. (later Bishop)
(1954.01.15 – 1964.06.16)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Kevin Joseph Aje (1982.10.15 – 1984.12.03)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Holy Family Cathedral, Sokoto, Sokoto

Kandi (↙), Niamey (↖), Maradi (↗), Zaria (↘), Kontagora (↓), Ilorin (↓)

Statistics (2023)

Area: 80,000 km²

Population: 21,000 Catholics (0.1% of 15,930,561 total)

Pastoral Centres: 17 parishes, 21 missions

Personnel: 42 priests (39 diocesan, 3 religious), 65 religious (65 sisters), 41 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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