The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received in audience Archbishop Paul R.Gallagher, who is the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy See.
Archbishop Gallagher’s visit is part of the commemorative engagements with church and government ahead of the 50th anniversary of Nigeria-Holy See diplomatic relations.
Nigeria has a strong bilateral relationship with the Vatican, with over 30 million Catholic faithful, 10,000 priests and the largest number of Catholic bishops in the African continent.
Archbishop Gallagher will be visiting several educational institutions run in partnership with the Catholic church and meeting several community leaders and stakeholders to promote interfaith dialogue.
The visit of Archbishop Gallagher is very significant on this 50th anniversary of our bilateral relations with the Holy See. A reception to commemorate this milestone and the unveiling of the golden anniversary plaque takes place on Monday 6th July 2026.
