More than 50 Christian and Muslim leaders in Nigeria have signed a peace accord aimed at promoting religious harmony and countering hate speech and extremism, as the country prepares for a closely watched 2027 election.
The agreement, which was signed on Aug. 13 in Abuja, was organized by the Saudi-based Muslim World League. It also launched a new interfaith body intended to promote cooperation between Christians and Muslims across Nigeria.
The accord comes at a sensitive time for Nigeria, where religious tensions have been heightened by years of violence and political divisions. The country has a predominantly Muslim north and largely Christian south, although both faiths are found throughout the country.
John Praise Daniel, chairman of the Northern Christian Religious Leaders' Assembly, said the agreement could help reduce divisive rhetoric among religious leaders.
“No hate speech, and no disrespect for other religious groups, no calling of people as infidels,” Daniel said.
Khalid Abubakar, secretary-general of Jama’atu Nasri Islam, said the agreement was not intended to weaken the religious identity of either community.
“It is not a call to leave your own religion, but a cooperation of working together in harmony,” he said.
Mohammad Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, said the initiative reflected a willingness among religious leaders to move beyond division.
“We do not deny that extremist ideas have harmed everyone; all have been affected by it,” Al-Issa said.
The Nigerian government also backed the initiative. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin represented President Bola Tinubu at the signing ceremony, which was also attended by three northern state governors.
“The government is determined to make sure that we remain united as a country, despite our differences, whatever the differences may be,” Jibrin said.
The agreement comes after years of violence involving Islamist insurgents, armed groups and other actors. Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have carried out attacks in Nigeria for more than 15 years, killing thousands of people and displacing communities.
Although Christians have been among those killed and targeted, the violence has also killed large numbers of Muslims. Reuters reported that the insurgent attacks have been concentrated largely in the predominantly Muslim northeast with analysts and rights groups claiming Muslims make up the majority of victims of the insurgency.
The wider security situation is more complicated than a simple conflict between Christians and Muslims. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has documented attacks by Islamist extremist groups, Fulani militants and other nonstate actors, as well as religious discrimination and restrictions affecting different religious communities.
The new accord therefore comes as an effort to address not only violence but also the rhetoric that can deepen religious divisions. The timing is also significant because Nigeria is moving toward its January 2027 presidential election.
President Tinubu’s ruling All Progressives Congress is again running a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, as it did in 2023. The decision breaks the longstanding practice of balancing presidential tickets between Nigeria's two largest religious communities and is likely to keep questions of religious representation in the political debate.
The agreement also follows heightened international attention to Nigeria’s treatment of Christians. In October, U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over religious-freedom concerns, while his administration warned that Christians faced a serious threat from extremist violence. A Dec. 25 operation was conducted at the direction of Trump and in coordination with Nigerian authorities. U.S. Africa Command said its initial assessment showed that multiple ISIS militants were killed in strikes on militant camps.
Trump had linked the strikes to concerns over attacks against Christians, while Nigerian officials described the operation as part of broader counter terrorism cooperation and stressed that the campaign was aimed at terrorists rather than any particular religious community.
The agreement calls for greater respect between religious communities and a rejection of inflammatory language from religious leaders. Daniel specifically said he hoped the initiative would curb divisive rhetoric by clerics.
The new body will therefore face a significant test in translating the agreement into practical cooperation at the community level.
The commitment by Christian and Muslim leaders to work together, reject hate speech and promote peaceful coexistence in a country where religious identity remains closely tied to politics, security and community life, will be put to the test.
