# Nigeria Religion Split: 56% Muslim, 43% Christian

> Nigeria's religious divide: 56% Muslim, 43% Christian, shaping elections and US policy.
- Title: Nigeria Religion Split: 56% Muslim, 43% Christian | Shortify
- Summary: Nigeria's religious divide: 56% Muslim, 43% Christian, shaping elections and US policy. Nigeria's religious split, with Muslims at 56% and Christians at 43%…
- Keywords: nigeria, religion, muslim, christian, presidential election, sharia law, nigerian supreme council for islamic aff, christian association of nigeria, news, world, politics, Split
- Source: The Rio Times — https://riotimesonline.com/nigeria-religion-explained-2026
- Author: Amina Diarra
- Published: 2026-10-16T14:52:42+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: nigeria, religion, muslim, christian, presidential election, sharia law, nigerian supreme council for islamic aff, christian association of nigeria, news, world, politics
## Key Facts
As of October 2026, Nigeria has no census count of religion, with survey estimates putting Muslims at 56% and Christians at 43%.
## Why It Matters
Faith and region overlap in Africa's most populous country, so religion shapes party tickets, security debates and US policy, including a Country of Particular Concern designation by President Donald Trump on 31 October 2025.
## The Numbers
The 2023-24 national health survey found 57.6% of women and 58.2% of men aged 15 to 49 were Muslim, and 41.9% of women and 40.8% of men were Christian.
## Who Is Who
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, and the Christian Association of Nigeria, led by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, are the two main bodies speaking for Muslims and Christians.
## What to Watch
Watch the presidential election on Saturday, 16 January 2027, where the faith of tickets, campaign language and insecurity in the north and Middle Belt will test the country's religious balance.
## Prediction Markets
Polymarket gives Bola Tinubu a 73.5% chance of winning the Nigerian presidential election and Peter Obi 20% (16 October, 10:50 a.m. ET).
## What It Means for You
Visitors and investors should expect public holidays for Eid, Easter and Christmas, sharia penal rules for Muslims in 12 northern states, and security conditions that differ sharply from region to region.
## Religion by the Numbers
Nigeria's 2006 census did not ask about religion, and the last published count dates from 1963.On Wednesday, 29 March 2023, the National Population Commission said its planned census would also leave out religion and ethnicity.
## Islam in Nigeria
In Pew's 2009 survey of Nigerian Muslims, 38% called themselves Sunni and 42% said they were just Muslim. Sufi brotherhoods are a major strand, with 19% in the Tijaniyya and 9% in the Qadiriyya.
## Christianity in Nigeria
Christians are about 43% of Nigerians in Pew's 2020 estimate. In the 2023-24 DHS, Catholics were 8.2% of women and other Christians 33.7%.
## Traditional Religion
Traditional religions are a small share of declared affiliation, at 0.4% of women and 0.9% of men in the 2023-24 DHS. Many Nigerians blend Indigenous practices with Islam or Christianity.
## Religion and Political Power
The 1999 constitution bars the federal and state governments from adopting a state religion. Party tickets are often judged by their balance between Christians and Muslims and between north and south.
## Sharia in the Northern States
Sharia, or Islamic law, operates beside the common law in 12 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.Section 275 of the constitution lets any state that wants one set up a sharia court of appeal.
## Violence and Religious Tensions
Nigeria faces several overlapping kinds of violence, and its causes are contested. The US State Department says religion, ethnicity, land and crime are closely linked, making many incidents hard to classify.
## Festivals and Daily Life
Federal public holidays follow both major faiths. The government declared Thursday, 19 March and Friday, 20 March 2026 for Eid-ul-Fitr, which ends Ramadan.
## What It Means for US Readers
US visitors and business travellers should plan around public holidays for Eid, Easter and Christmas. In the 12 sharia states, penal codes generally apply only to Muslims, but local religious customs deserve respect.
## Key takeaway

Nigeria's religious split, with Muslims at 56% and Christians at 43%, influences elections, security, and US policy.