Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso has been elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), assuming leadership of the country’s highest Catholic episcopal body for a four-year term.
The election was conducted during the conference’s plenary session, where Catholic bishops from dioceses across Nigeria convened to deliberate on ecclesiastical and national issues. The CBCN, which comprises all Catholic bishops in Nigeria, functions as the central coordinating body of the Catholic Church’s pastoral, doctrinal and social engagement in the country.
Archbishop Ndagoso currently serves as Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, a position he has held since 2019 following his appointment by the Vatican. He previously served as Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, where he was widely recognised for navigating pastoral leadership amid insurgency-related insecurity in northeastern Nigeria. His tenure in Maiduguri coincided with heightened violence in the region, and he frequently advocated for interfaith dialogue, peace-building and humanitarian support for displaced communities.
His election to lead the CBCN comes at a time when Nigeria faces complex socio-political and economic challenges, including insecurity, poverty, governance concerns and intercommunal tensions. The Catholic Church in Nigeria remains one of the largest Christian denominations in Africa, with millions of adherents and a substantial network of educational, healthcare and humanitarian institutions.
As CBCN President, Archbishop Ndagoso will oversee episcopal coordination on national policy statements, pastoral directives and church-state engagement. The conference regularly issues communiqués addressing national developments, elections, security concerns and social justice matters. It also liaises with the Vatican and international Catholic bodies on matters affecting the Nigerian Church.
Within ecclesiastical governance structures, the CBCN President plays a largely coordinating and representative role, presiding over plenary meetings and articulating collective positions agreed upon by the bishops. The role does not supersede diocesan autonomy but facilitates unified episcopal voice on issues of national and moral significance.
Archbishop Ndagoso is regarded within church circles as a cleric with strong theological grounding and administrative experience. He received priestly ordination in 1983 and later pursued advanced studies in canon law. Over the years, he has held various responsibilities within Nigeria’s Catholic hierarchy, contributing to ecclesiastical administration, clergy formation and pastoral policy.
His election signals continuity in the CBCN’s tradition of rotating leadership among senior bishops from different regions of the country. Observers note that leadership transitions within the conference often reflect both seniority and demonstrated experience in diocesan governance.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria has historically taken active positions on electoral integrity, anti-corruption advocacy, protection of human rights and the welfare of internally displaced persons. Under its previous leadership, the conference issued multiple communiqués urging government authorities to address insecurity and economic hardship affecting citizens.
Church analysts suggest that Archbishop Ndagoso’s background in regions affected by conflict may shape his priorities as CBCN President, particularly in relation to peace-building and humanitarian response. Kaduna State itself has experienced episodes of intercommunal violence in recent years, further situating the archbishop within a context that demands pastoral engagement with conflict-sensitive issues.
The election has been welcomed by Catholic clergy and lay faithful in Kaduna and other dioceses, who expressed hope that his tenure would strengthen episcopal collaboration and deepen the Church’s social witness in Nigeria. Messages of congratulation were also extended by religious organisations and ecumenical partners.
While the CBCN President does not hold executive authority over dioceses, the office carries moral and symbolic weight, particularly when articulating collective episcopal positions on national debates. The Church’s pronouncements often attract significant public attention, especially on issues of governance, social policy and human rights.
Archbishop Ndagoso’s four-year tenure will coincide with an evolving national landscape marked by political realignments and ongoing security concerns. His leadership of the CBCN is expected to focus on reinforcing unity among bishops, strengthening pastoral initiatives and sustaining the Church’s engagement in public discourse.
The Catholic community in Nigeria remains one of the most influential religious constituencies in sub-Saharan Africa. As the newly elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso assumes a role that extends beyond ecclesiastical administration into the broader moral conversation shaping Nigeria’s national life.
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