Ndagoso Elected New President Of Catholic Bishops Conference Of Nigeria

Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Matthew Ndagoso, has been elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

Ndagoso emerged alongside other members of the conference’s executive at the ongoing 2026 First Plenary Meeting of Catholic Bishops holding in Abuja.

He succeeds Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri, whose four-year tenure as CBCN president expires this February.

The CBCN is the apex body of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, providing spiritual leadership, coordinating social engagement, and serving as a moral voice that unites bishops, clergy, the faithful, and the wider society.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Michael Banjo, said the newly elected officials would be formally presented at the plenary’s closing ceremony on Wednesday.

Other officials elected were Alfred Martins as Vice President; Peter Odetoyinbo as Secretary, and Peter Chukwu as Assistant Secretary.

“We are pleased to announce the newly elected principal officials of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria,” the statement said, listing the new leadership.

It added that other bishops were also elected to oversee various directorates, departments, and units of the Catholic Secretariat and CBCN agencies.

“Please keep them in your prayers as they take up the responsibility of leading the Conference over the next four years in faithful service to the Church and the common good,” the statement concluded.