The United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, has concluded a three-day official visit to Nigeria aimed at strengthening interfaith dialogue, promoting religious tolerance and supporting Nigerian-led peacebuilding efforts.
The visit, which ended Thursday in Abuja, marked Nigeria as the first focus country under the UK’s Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) strategy, underscoring the importance London places on addressing religious tensions and insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation.
During the visit, Smith held high-level meetings with top Nigerian government officials, religious leaders, civil society groups and local communities as part of efforts to deepen cooperation on religious freedom and social cohesion.
According to a statement issued by the British High Commission in Nigeria, those met by the Special Envoy included the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang.
The envoy also engaged with key religious leaders, including Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, who also serves as President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, Smith said the trip provided an opportunity to better understand how freedom of religion or belief intersects with broader national challenges such as insecurity and social cohesion.
“Over the past few days, I have been honoured to meet a wide range of people — from senior government figures and civil society to faith leaders and local communities,” he said.
“I came to listen, learn, and see both how freedom of religion or belief is experienced in everyday life, and how it connects to — and is a core part of addressing — Nigeria’s wider challenges around security and cohesion.”
The envoy said one of the most significant moments of the trip was witnessing peaceful coexistence among Christian and Muslim communities at the grassroots level.
He cited his visit to Father Emmanuel Unamba’s parish, where he met Christian and Muslim neighbours living peacefully side by side, describing it as evidence that unity can be achieved through dialogue, leadership and collective responsibility.
Smith stressed that lasting progress on religious harmony in Nigeria must remain locally driven and rooted in strong institutions and inclusive engagement.
“What I take away from this visit is the importance of further progress being Nigerian-led, rooted in strong institutions and inclusive dialogue, with FoRB at its heart,” he said. “The UK will continue to support practical efforts in ensuring greater peace, security and prosperity for all.”
As part of the engagement, the UK envoy also met with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, the National Human Rights Commission and several civil society organisations working on issues related to insecurity and religious freedom.
He also visited the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja and participated in a roundtable session with partners of the UK-funded Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme.
The SPRiNG initiative, funded by the UK government with £38 million, focuses on peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts in Kaduna, Katsina, Benue and Plateau states, supporting early warning systems and locally driven dispute resolution mechanisms.
The British government said the visit builds on the momentum generated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State Visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026, which reinforced the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership and featured interfaith engagements attended by President Tinubu and King Charles III.
The UK’s FoRB strategy, launched in July 2025, identifies Nigeria as a priority country due to ongoing concerns over religiously linked violence and the need to strengthen peaceful coexistence across diverse communities.
Michael Olugbode
