metro

Many African Pastors Would Lose Their Churches if Enough Jobs Existed – Pastor Chris

Published

3 months ago

July 1, 2026

Pastor Chris Ogugua

Many African Pastors Would Lose Their Churches if Enough Jobs Existed – Pastor Chris

Nigerian cleric Pastor Chris Ogugua has sparked widespread reactions after claiming that many pastors across Africa would lose a significant portion of their congregations if the continent had enough employment opportunities and stronger economic systems.

Speaking during a sermon that has since gone viral on social media, the preacher argued that the popularity of prosperity preaching in many African countries is fueled largely by unemployment, poverty and limited economic opportunities rather than by spiritual conviction alone.

According to Ogugua, millions of Africans turn to churches seeking financial breakthroughs because they struggle to secure stable sources of income and economic security.

“All of this prosperity thing we are praying for is ignorance,” the cleric said, adding that if the biblical Job were alive in present-day Africa, “most pastors will lose their ministry.”

The pastor maintained that in countries with stronger economies, young people often have access to part-time jobs and legitimate income opportunities from an early age, reducing their dependence on religious promises of financial miracles.

To illustrate his point, Ogugua shared the example of his 13-year-old daughter, saying that in some developed countries she could earn about £20 per hour by walking dogs while still attending school.

“If my daughter wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Can I walk your dog?’ Every one hour is £20. So my daughter of 13 years can make close to ₦2 million every month and still be a student,” he said.

READ ALSO:

He argued that a teenager with such earning opportunities would have little reason to seek prayers against spiritual forces allegedly hindering prosperity.

“When it comes to church and you’re asking them, ‘Pray for the witches against your prosperity,’ she’ll be watching you,” he added.

Ogugua further criticised what he described as Africa’s version of Christianity, alleging that many churches have shifted their focus from the core message of the Christian faith to the pursuit of wealth and material success.

According to him, prosperity has become a product that many religious leaders market because there is a ready audience facing severe economic hardship.

“We have created our own brand of Christianity in Africa. We are selling it, and people are buying it,” he said.

The cleric also questioned the sources of wealth of some affluent individuals, arguing that only a small percentage amassed their fortunes through legitimate means.

“Bring all your rich men. Only very few of them have legitimate wealth. Find out,” he stated.

His comments have generated mixed reactions across social media, with some users agreeing that unemployment and poverty have contributed to the popularity of prosperity preaching, while others argued that many people attend church primarily because of their faith, personal convictions and desire for spiritual growth.

The remarks come as several African countries, including Nigeria, continue to grapple with high unemployment, rising inflation and increasing living costs. Economists have repeatedly identified job creation, skills development and private sector growth as essential to reducing poverty and improving living standards.

While prosperity gospel remains a prominent teaching in some Pentecostal churches, Christianity across Africa encompasses a wide range of traditions and theological perspectives. Many churches focus on discipleship, community development, education, healthcare and humanitarian outreach alongside spiritual teachings.

Ogugua’s remarks have reignited conversations about the relationship between faith, economic hardship and the role of religious institutions in societies facing persistent unemployment and poverty.

Many African Pastors Would Lose Their Churches if Enough Jobs Existed – Pastor Chris

Related Topics:African Pastors churches jobs

Up Next

Parents Raise Alarm as 37 NECO Candidates Remain Missing After Borno School Attack

Don't Miss

Gunmen Kidnap Pastor, Two Worshippers in Benue Church Attack

metro

FG Declares Thursday Public Holiday for Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary

Published

12 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Trends Admin

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

FG Declares Thursday Public Holiday for Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, October 1, 2026, a public holiday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government on Wednesday, congratulating Nigerians at home and abroad on the national celebration.

The minister urged Nigerians to use the occasion to promote national unity, patriotism, peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, while reflecting on the sacrifices of the country’s founding fathers and heroines.

Tunji-Ojo said peace and stability remained important to national development and called on citizens to remain committed to building a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.

The minister also assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remained committed to strengthening national security, improving public safety and creating an environment where citizens could live and work with confidence.

The 2026 celebration marks 66 years of Nigeria’s independence, following the country’s attainment of independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960.

READ ALSO:

The Federal Government is marking the anniversary under the theme, “From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity.” The anniversary programme was earlier announced as a low-key celebration.

As part of the programme, an Independence Day Public Lecture is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to deliver a nationwide broadcast on Thursday, October 1.

The President is also expected to participate in other anniversary activities in Lagos, including the premiere of a documentary on the late businessman and politician MKO Abiola at the National Theatre.

The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to use the Independence Day celebration to reflect on the country’s journey since 1960 and renew their commitment to a united and peaceful Nigeria.

The October 1 public holiday applies nationwide, giving workers and other citizens an official day off to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence Day.

FG Declares Thursday Public Holiday for Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary

metro

Five Remanded Over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts in Borno

Published

12 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Trends Admin

Five Remanded Over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts in Borno

Five men have been remanded in custody in Maiduguri, Borno State, after they were arraigned over the alleged printing and wearing of “Tinubu Must Go” T-shirts.

The defendants — Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21 — were arrested on September 25 around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri, according to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department.

Police alleged that the five men conspired to print and wear the T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go”, with the intention of causing a breach of public peace in the area.

They were subsequently charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.

The defendants appeared before the Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri and pleaded not guilty to the allegations. Their lawyers subsequently applied for bail.

The court remanded the five men in custody and adjourned the matter to October 6, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application. The substantive case was also listed for October 26, 2026.

The police case centres on the alleged intention behind the production and wearing of the shirts, with the authorities maintaining that the conduct was capable of causing a breach of public peace. The charges, rather than the political slogan alone, form the basis of the criminal proceedings.

READ ALSO:

The arrests have generated controversy, particularly over the balance between freedom of expression and public-order laws.

Amnesty International condemned the detention, arguing that wearing a shirt expressing political dissent should not, by itself, constitute a criminal offence. The organisation called for the men’s release and urged the authorities to protect the rights to freedom of expression and association.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Borno State also condemned the arrests. The party said the men were being detained for expressing a political opinion and called for their immediate release. The party’s position is separate from the police allegations before the court.

There have also been claims that the arrests were politically directed, including an allegation that a senior political figure in Borno ordered the action. However, such claims have not been independently established, and the police report cited in the case does not establish that a political figure ordered the arrests.

The development comes as political activity increases ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties and supporters using different platforms to express criticism of the Federal Government and promote alternative political positions.

The case has consequently drawn attention to the application of freedom of expression, political dissent and public-order laws in Nigeria.

For now, the five men remain defendants in an ongoing criminal case. They have pleaded not guilty, and the allegations against them have yet to be determined by the court.

Five Remanded Over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts in Borno

metro

FG Targets 24-Hour Electricity in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Others

Published

12 hours ago

September 30, 2026

Trends Admin

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe

FG Targets 24-Hour Electricity in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Others

The Federal Government has begun discussions with electricity distribution companies on plans to establish Energy Zones aimed at delivering stable 24-hour electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries in major high-demand areas across Nigeria.

The proposed zones will initially focus on the Lagos axis, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor and Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor, according to the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe.

Tegbe disclosed the plan after a strategic meeting with the leadership of selected electricity distribution companies (DisCos) as the government intensifies efforts to improve reliability across the power sector.

The proposed Energy Zones are designed to address bottlenecks at the distribution end of the electricity supply chain and ensure that more of the power generated and transmitted through the national grid reaches consumers.

Tegbe said the country’s power challenge extends beyond generation and transmission, stressing that the ability of distribution companies to take up available electricity and deliver it to homes, businesses and industries remains a major constraint.

He said the proposed zones would help close that gap, unlock additional commercial and industrial demand and improve the revenue and collection performance of DisCos.

The government also plans to expand electricity infrastructure in high-demand areas so that supply capacity can grow alongside the needs of Nigeria’s expanding economy.

The Energy Zones proposal comes as the government reports recent improvements in electricity generation and transmission. Tegbe said generation and transmission had risen above 5,000 megawatts (MW) in recent weeks, compared with about 3,700MW to 4,700MW before June, with generation reaching a reported peak of 5,330MW in August and September.

READ ALSO:

However, the minister has acknowledged that higher national generation figures do not automatically translate into reliable electricity for every community because of problems across the transmission and distribution networks.

The government has therefore been prioritising infrastructure repairs and upgrades along major electricity corridors. Tegbe previously said transformers commissioned at Apapa, Ijora, Alausa and Lekki in Lagos had unlocked 672MW of transmission capacity, while a 300MVA transformer at Katampe in Abuja added another 240MW.

The government has also been working to increase electricity metering. Tegbe said about 350,000 meters were installed during his first 100 days in office, bringing cumulative installations to more than one million by August 2026.

He also said the resolution of legal issues surrounding the AMMON smart-meter programme had cleared the way for procurement of about 1.4 million additional smart meters.

The minister has identified the Lagos, Enugu-Port Harcourt and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridors as priority areas for stabilisation, alongside plans for a proposed Transmission Super Grid.

The focus on Lagos reflects the state’s substantial industrial and commercial electricity demand. The Federal Government has been conducting technical assessments along major industrial corridors, including the Lagos-Sagamu corridor, to identify infrastructure problems affecting power delivery.

The government has also been pursuing targeted projects to improve electricity supply to industrial areas. In Abuja, Tegbe said the Idu Industrial Area was being targeted for a 50MW electrification project, with the first 10MW phase expected by December 2026 and the remaining capacity planned for 2027.

The proposed Energy Zones are expected to complement such targeted interventions by concentrating infrastructure and distribution improvements in areas where electricity demand is already high.

The initiative is also expected to support manufacturing, businesses and industrial production, with the government linking more reliable electricity to economic growth, job creation and industrialisation.

However, the Federal Government has not announced a specific implementation date, capacity target or detailed infrastructure investment plan for the proposed Energy Zones. The 24-hour electricity supply therefore remains a government target under the initiative and should not be interpreted as a guarantee that consumers in Lagos, Abuja, Kano or the other identified areas will immediately receive uninterrupted power.

The proposed zones also come against the backdrop of continuing financial and operational challenges in the electricity market. Tegbe said the government had mobilised about N1.23 trillion to address part of the sector’s accumulated debt burden.

He has also said the government currently has no plan to increase electricity tariffs, with the immediate focus instead on improving supply reliability, strengthening infrastructure, metering consumers and addressing financial weaknesses across the power value chain.

The minister has acknowledged that many Nigerians are still without reliable electricity, despite reported improvements in generation and transmission. He said the government would continue to focus on incremental improvements rather than promise a quick solution to the sector’s longstanding problems.

Representatives of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Ikeja Electric, Eko Power, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and Sahara Energy Group participated in the latest discussions on the proposed Energy Zones.

The Federal Government now intends to work with the participating electricity companies on strengthening distribution infrastructure and ensuring that available electricity can be delivered more efficiently to high-demand customers.

For consumers, the key issue will be whether the proposed investments can translate improvements recorded at the generation and transmission levels into more dependable electricity at the distribution and household level.

For now, the 24-hour electricity plan remains at the development and engagement stage, with the government yet to provide a firm rollout date or detailed specifications for the proposed Energy Zones.