The Northern Christian Association (NCA) has called on the Federal Government to clarify why N1.91bn was allocated for seven church-related projects, compared to N6.14bn for 52 mosque-related projects in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
CAN Regional Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, noted that the Christian body in the Northern part of the country is not opposed to government support for religious projects but insists it must be fair and transparent.
He said out of about N8.05bn total for religious projects in the 2026 Appropriation Bill for religious interventions they see no reason for such desparity by the Federal Government.
According to Rev. Joseph Hayab, “N1.91bn was earmarked for 7 Church-related projects, while about N6.14bn was allocated to 52 Mosque-related projects, out of about N8.05bn total for religious projects.
Hayab stressed that support for religious projects must be fair and transparent, expressing concern on the treatment of Christians in the country despite their patients and resilience.
“How long will Nigerians continue to read stories that expose the hypocrisy of our leaders? The partiality, lack of equity and unequal treatment of citizens by government and political leaders are among the major factors responsible for division, distrust, segregation and the absence of genuine unity,” he emphasized.
Hayab noted that Christians have exercised restraint for peace but government mistakes patience for weakness, and warned that perceived discrimination erodes public trust.
“Our constitution recognises every Nigerian as equal before the law, while the teachings of all religions discourage unfair treatment.
“Government should, therefore, not be seen to promote policies that suggest preferential treatment for one religious group over another,” the Chairman warned.
The regional Church body in the country urged the Nigerian government to review the allocations in line with “fairness, equity and equal treatment to promote national unity.”
