Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and National Orientation has emphasised the need for decisive action and broad-based cooperation in addressing issues bordering on freedom of religion and belief.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known in Abuja, while receiving delegation of the National Human Rights Commission NHRC, the Kukah Centre TKC, and Nasrul- Lahi Fathi Society of Nigeria NASFAT, in his office.
The Information Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa noted that meaningful progress depends particularly in countering hate speech, preventing misinformation, and promoting narratives of tolerance and mutual respect.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the protection of freedom of religion and belief, describing it as a constitutionally guaranteed right and a cornerstone of national unity, stability, and democratic governance.
“We reiterate that dialogue, not division, remains Nigeria’s strongest tool for managing diversity. We express openness to continue the engagement beyond advocacy visits. We will explore possible collaboration in areas such as public enlightenment campaigns, non-religious tolerance, civic education content, and early warning communication frameworks,” he said.
Idris described the visitors as key stakeholders in peace building, human rights protection, and interfaith harmony.
He noted that the Freedom of Religion and Belief project aligns with the Ministry’s mandate on strategic communication and national orientation, particularly in countering hate speech, preventing misinformation, and promoting narratives of tolerance and mutual respect.
“There is emphasis on protecting religious freedom, preventing discrimination, promoting peaceful coexistence among all faiths. I wish to stress that the Freedom of Religion and Belief is central to national unity, stability and democratic governance. In the role of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, we have a clear mandate for strategic communication, national orientation, and promoting human rights,” he noted.
The Project Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Mrs. Halimat Oyedele presented the report of the first and second phases of their collaborative project on monitoring freedom of religion and belief in Nigeria.
The Project Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Mrs. Halimat Oyedele speaking on behalf of the Commission, presented the report of the first and second phases of their collaborative project on monitoring freedom of religion and belief in Nigeria.
She stressed that the initiative was launched to strengthen peaceful coexistence and protect the constitutional right to religious freedom, and focused on building trust among religious leaders, civil society actors, and community influencers, conducting surveys across selected northern and southern states, and making recommendations to governments to improve policy and practice.
“Our engagement with religious leaders, civil society organisation, and community influencers has proven that trust building is essential to preventing conflict and sustaining peace,” she said.
Mrs. Oyedele, added that, in the second phase, the project established an inclusive monitoring network to document real-time cases of freedom of religion violations, ensuring evidence-based advocacy.
She said the initiative also engaged the public through targeted radio campaigns in multiple languages across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“By taking the message to the grassroots through multilingual radio campaigns across all six geopolitical zones, we ensured that the conversation on tolerance reached every segment of society,” she added.
The stakeholders were assured of a strong backing and support by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.