Nigeria’s population is estimated to be roughly split between Muslims and Christians, though exact figures vary between different sources:
* Muslim Population:
* Estimates suggest 50% to 55% of the population are Muslim.
* A 2018 estimate by the CIA World Factbook placed the Muslim population at 53.5%.
* The Pew Research Center (2020 projection based on 2010 estimate) put the Muslim population at 51.1%.
* A 2022 Afrobarometer survey found 45.5% of respondents identified as Muslim.
* Christian Population:
* Estimates range from 40% to 48.1% of the population.
* The 2018 CIA World Factbook estimate placed the Christian population at 45.9% (with 10.6% Catholic and 35.3% other Christian).
* The Pew Research Center (2020 projection based on 2010 estimate) put the Christian population at 46.9%.
* A 2022 Afrobarometer survey found 54.2% of respondents identified as Christian.
* Traditional/Other Religions: Estimates range from 0.6% to 10% for those adhering to traditional indigenous or other religions.
🕊️ Reported Christian Death Toll Statistics
Senator Ted Cruz and other sources have cited significant figures regarding Christian deaths and destruction of property in Nigeria since the Boko Haram insurgency began around 2009:
* Total Christians Murdered (Since 2009/2000):
* The bill’s sponsor, Senator Ted Cruz, stated that over 52,000 Christians have been murdered since 2009.
* Other reports mention figures as high as 62,000 Nigerian Christians murdered since 2000.
* The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) estimated that 125,009 Christians and 60,000 “liberal Muslims” have been killed since 2009, for a total of approximately 185,009 Nigerians.
* Churches and Faith Institutions Destroyed:
* Cruz stated that 20,000 churches and faith institutions have been destroyed since 2009.
* Intersociety’s data states that 19,100 churches have been destroyed.
* Recent Killings (2025):
* Intersociety reported that at least 7,087 Christians were massacred across Nigeria in the first 220 days of 2025—an average of 32 Christians killed per day.
* The report also mentioned 7,899 Christians abducted during the same period.
⚖️ Sharia Law Implementation
* Timeline: The major expansion of Sharia law’s jurisdiction to include criminal law began between 1999 and 2000.
* States Affected: Within two years, about 12 northern states had adopted Sharia-based penal codes and parallel Sharia courts. These states include Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, and Gombe.
The Nigerian Federal Government disputes the interpretation of these laws, stating that the criminal provisions only apply to Muslims and that the legal system fully protects religious freedom for all citizens.
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