RismadarVoice
February 24, 2026
Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Matthew Ndagoso, has been elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the highest governing body of the Catholic Church in the country.
The CBCN coordinates spiritual leadership, social engagement, and serves as a moral voice, uniting bishops, clergy, the faithful, and broader Nigerian society. Archbishop Ndagoso was elected during the ongoing 2026 First Plenary Meeting of Catholic Bishops in Abuja.
He succeeds Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri, whose four-year tenure expires this February. The newly elected officials are set to be formally presented at the plenary’s closing ceremony on Wednesday, according to a statement by Michael Banjo, Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.
Other key executive members elected alongside Archbishop Ndagoso include:
• Vice President: Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins (Lagos)
• Secretary: Bishop Peter Odetoyinbo (Abeokuta)
• Assistant Secretary: Bishop Peter Chukwu (Abakaliki)
The statement added that several other bishops were 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.
Archbishop Ndagoso’s election marks a new chapter for the CBCN as it continues to guide the Church and provide moral leadership in Nigeria during a period of social and economic challenges.
