The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has identified insecurity, corruption and bad governance as significant obstacles to peace and development of the country.
The bishops warned that Nigeria risks a collapse without urgent reforms while calling for urgent reforms to address the challenges confronting the nation.
Speaking with journalists at the weekend in Calabar, the Catholic Archbishop of Calabar, Most Rev. Joseph Ekuwem, who earlier read the communique by the bishops at their Second Sunday Plenary held at the Ikot Ekpene Diocese, Akwa Ibom State from September 11-19, 2025, decried continued loss of lives and property and kidnapping faced by Nigerians.
The clergymen identified corruption as the fundamental cause of Nigeria’s problems, describing it as “moral rottenness” that has spread to all facets of national life.
The clerics criticised politicians for prioritising power play over addressing the plights of the suffering masses.
According to the bishops, despite some improvements in infrastructure such as roads and implementation of the new minimum wage, poverty and poor governance still persist in the country.
They emphasised that many Nigerians were still struggling, with many living in extreme poverty and economic hardship.
The bishops also demanded urgent reforms to restore credibility to Nigeria’s electoral process.
In this light, they called for real-time electronic transmission and collation of results, transparent appointment of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, and a judiciary that rises above compromise in electoral matters.
Nigerians were also encouraged to take responsibility for shaping the nation’s future by getting their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) ready and voting according to their conscience.
A call was further directed at the government to address root causes of economic hardship and insecurity, invest in vocational training and job creation initiatives to ease the harrowing experiences of Nigerians.
