IGWEBUIKE: African Journal of Arts and Humanities

The current level of insecurity in Nigeria is such that it has become a matter of international concern, particularly with reference to its effect on the Church and the growth of the Church in Nigeria. This paper examines how pervasive insecurity in Nigeria has affected the growth of the Christian church, using secondary data from international monitoring organisations, humanitarian agencies, and news reporting. It documents recent trends in killings, kidnappings, attacks on church property, and internal displacement and links those trends to measurable and qualitative impacts on church life and growth (attendance, planting, leadership capacity, evangelism, and institutional development). Particular attention is paid to the United States government’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom by President Donald Trump and the national and international reactions to that decision. Findings show that high levels of violence, displacement, and church/clergy-targeted attacks have curtailed church planting, reduced congregational attendance, disrupted pastoral leadership and social ministries, and shifted church priorities toward survival and relief work rather than evangelistic expansion. The paper concludes with policy and church-level recommendations to mitigate the adverse effects and to sustain healthy church growth under insecurity.

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