Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, has called for a census to establish Nigeria’s Christian and Muslim populations amid renewed religious debate ahead of the 2027 elections.
Enenche made the call on Sunday, August 16, 2026, during a church service while responding to comments by Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir on religion, voting and the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
Jingir has urged Muslims to support candidates of their faith and backed retaining the Muslim-Muslim ticket, while claiming that Muslims outnumber Christians in Nigeria.
Enenche rejected any suggestion that Christianity is subordinate to another religion, saying Christians are widely represented across the country.
He argued that a census allowing citizens to declare their faith would provide reliable data to resolve competing claims over Nigeria’s religious composition.
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The pastor also criticized security agencies for failing to act against statements he considered capable of inflaming religious tensions and provoking violence.
The dispute comes amid heightened political activity ahead of 2027 and continuing debate over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who won the 2023 presidential election for the All Progressives Congress.
Nigeria has no official census figures showing the respective populations of Christians and Muslims. The last completed population census was conducted in 2006, while the National Population Commission said religion would not be captured in the proposed 2023 census.
Claims about Nigeria’s religious majority therefore remain based on estimates rather than an official headcount.
The latest exchange follows an interfaith peace accord signed in Abuja on August 13, 2026, by Muslim and Christian leaders seeking to promote religious harmony and counter hate speech and extremism ahead of the 2027 polls.
Enenche’s proposal has brought renewed attention to the absence of authoritative religious population data as faith and political representation remain sensitive issues in Nigeria’s election discourse.