President Bola Tinubu met with a delegation from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday. The high-profile meeting, held behind closed doors, featured prominent Catholic leaders, including CBCN President Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, and Cardinal John Onaiyekan.
Though details of the meeting were not disclosed, the discussions come at a critical time, following the United States’ recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution, particularly against Christians.
This designation is not new. In 2018, during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the White House, then-U.S. President Donald Trump accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christians, an issue that has continued to raise international concern.
Bishops Call for Urgent Action on Economy, Security, and Governance
The CBCN has been vocal in its criticism of the government, particularly regarding Nigeria’s struggling economy, growing insecurity, and political instability. At their first plenary session of 2025, held in Abuja over the weekend, Archbishop Ugorji highlighted pressing national issues, including youth unemployment, poverty, corruption, and electoral fraud. The bishops urged leaders to take immediate action to prevent further decline.
Presidency Responds: ‘Nigeria Has Made Progress’
In response to the bishops’ concerns, the Presidency acknowledged existing governance challenges but insisted that significant progress has been made under Tinubu’s leadership.
“President Bola Tinubu deeply appreciates the Catholic Bishops’ commitment to national unity, peace, and stability,” a statement from the Presidency read.
The government pointed to improvements in security, citing the elimination of over 8,000 criminals—including bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, and kidnappers—over the past two years, as well as the rescue of over 10,000 abducted Nigerians. It claimed that increased security in the North had allowed farmers to return to their fields, leading to greater food production and lower prices of essential commodities.
On the economic front, the government boasted of a more stable economy, stronger foreign reserves, a rebounding currency, and improved local refining capacity, driven by projects such as the Dangote Refinery and the revitalized NNPCL refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri.
A Tense Political Climate
This meeting between Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops comes at a crucial moment in Nigeria’s political landscape. With economic hardship and security challenges still weighing heavily on the population, the Catholic Church’s intervention signals growing frustration among religious and civil society leaders.
While the Presidency remains optimistic about its progress, the concerns raised by the CBCN suggest that for many Nigerians, the road to real change remains uncertain.
