Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, has called for a census to establish the number of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
Mr Enenche made the call during a church service on Sunday while responding to recent comments by Islamic cleric Sani Yahaya Jingir on religion and politics ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The pastor said an accurate demographic assessment would help provide clarity on the religious composition of the country and inform discussions surrounding representation and political participation.
His remarks followed comments by Mr Jingir, who has spoken about the role of religion in Nigerian politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
Nigeria has not conducted a comprehensive national census since 2006, while official figures on the country’s religious composition remain unavailable. As a result, claims about the relative population of Christians and Muslims are often based on estimates rather than an official religious census.
The question of Nigeria’s religious balance has remained politically sensitive, particularly as political parties and politicians prepare for the 2027 elections.
Mr Enenche’s call is likely to renew debate over whether future population exercises should include questions capable of providing reliable data on the country’s religious demographics.
