Profile : Nigeria

Description

After nearly 16 years of military rule, Nigeria adopted a new constitution in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed.

The new government faces a difficult task addressing corruption and mismanagement as well as defusing longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Despite some difficulties the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history.

Nigeria has large oil reserves but much of this has been squandered or embezzled. Over 34% of the population live below the poverty line and 28% are unemployed.

Nigeria has experienced major religious conflict in the north in recent years, resulting in churches burnt and thousands of Christians and Muslims killed. Since 1999 Muslim state leaders have imposed shari?a law in eight northern states.

Nigerian Christians have been actively reaching out with the gospel and the growth of the church has been extraordinary. Nigeria is home to the largest Anglican church in the world with 11 million people in church on Sundays. It is estimated that there are 26 million Evangelicals in Nigeria.

Missionaries

• Alan and Helen Wood

Prayer Points

• Praise God for the amazing growth of the Nigerian church.

• Pray with Nigerian Christians for the preservation of national unity and for full religious freedom.

• Pray that God will continue to raise up Christian leaders who are prayerful, godly and well-versed in the Scriptures.

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Opportunities