World Watch List 2026: More Christians K!lled In Nigeria Than Rest Of World Combined -New Report

Member of Parliament David Smith, the U.K. special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, speaks at the parliamentary launch of the World Watch List on Jan. 14, 2026. ( Photo Credit: Open Doors)

By: Online Editor 

According to to a newly released World Watch List 2026 by Open Doors, an international Christian mission based in the Netherlands, Nigeria accounted for more Christians killed for their faith in 2025 than the rest of the world combined.

In the new report, OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that, "Of the 4,849 Christians reportedly killed globally for faith-related reasons during the reporting period, 3,490 deaths occurred in Nigeria, placing the country at the epicentre of what the group describes as a growing global persecution crisis.

This troubling statistics implies that about 72% of Christians killed for their faith around the world in the period under review come from Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.

OTN News further reports as gathered that Open Doors’ annual World Watch List ranks 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. The 2026 report also recorded a sharp global rise in persecution, with an additional 8 million Christians experiencing high levels of discrimination and violence between October 2024 and September 2025, bringing the global total to 388 million.

Speaking at the launch of the report in London, Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK & Ireland, described sub-Saharan Africa—particularly Nigeria—as “a deathtrap for Christians,” while welcoming increased international attention on the situation.

OTN News observes that in recent times, Nigeria has returned to global focus as the U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities from jihadist violence. The U.S. subsequently carried out coordinated strikes with Nigerian authorities against Islamic State–linked militants operating in the country’s northwest. Some U.S. political figures and allies of the president have characterized the crisis as a “genocide,” a term Abuja strongly rejects.

According to John Samuel, Open Doors’ expert on sub-Saharan Africa, the Nigerian government has been cautious in acknowledging the religious dimension of the violence, partly out of concern that formal recognition could result in international sanctions and embargoes following Nigeria’s designation as a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom violations.

The U.K.’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith, urged a balanced diplomatic response, describing the U.K. as a “critical friend” to Nigeria. Speaking at Portcullis House before more than 100 members of Parliament, Smith said the crisis was “multilayered,” involving security failures, ethnic tensions, and religious persecution, but insisted that silence was not an option.

“No one should live in fear because of their faith or belief,” he said. “The minimum we can do is speak up."

It would be recalled that the situation in Nigeria has also drawn attention from the Vatican. In November 2025, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that both Christians and Muslims had been “slaughtered” in Nigeria and called on the government to uphold authentic religious freedom.

Analysts say the drivers of violence vary across regions. In Nigeria’s Middle Belt, longstanding clashes between predominantly Christian farming communities and predominantly Muslim Fulani herders have intensified. While competition over land and resources plays a role, Samuel warned that an increasingly ideological and militant strand of Fulani violence is underreported.

Data from the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa indicates that Christians are 2.7 times more likely than Muslims to be targeted and killed in Fulani-related attacks. Kidnappings for ransom, particularly of Christian clergy, have also become more frequent.

In the northeast and northwest, jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue to wage insurgencies aimed at establishing an Islamic caliphate. Open Doors notes that these groups openly promote their ideology and attacks through online propaganda.

She stressed that governments, particularly the U.K., still have leverage through diplomacy, trade, security cooperation, and aid.

“These are all opportunities to raise freedom of religion or belief,” she said.

In a video message projected at the event, Pastor Barnabas, a Nigerian Christian leader, appealed for sustained global attention: “Every day we are attacked. We want people to keep talking about this, so that we will be saved.”