Nigerians React as Pastor Okonkwo Launches N700,000 Matchmaking Service

Kingsley Okonkwo

Nigerians React as Pastor Okonkwo Launches N700,000 Matchmaking Service

Relationship coach and lead pastor of David’s Christian Centre (DCC), Kingsley Okonkwo, has launched a matchmaking platform for Christian singles seeking marriage, with membership fees ranging from N70,000 to N700,000 per year. Okonkwo announced the platform, called Mentor To Marry, in a series of posts on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday. The platform is described as a “guided marriage-preparation and matching community for serious Christian singles who desire intentional, Kingdom-minded marriages.”

In his social media posts announcing the platform, Okonkwo argued that relationships have become increasingly commercialised, making it difficult for some single men to find genuine partners. “I feel for the men of this generation…relationships have been so commercialized nowadays that it’s almost impossible for a young man to find true love,” he wrote. In another post, he added: “When we were young, all you had to get was a girl’s phone number but now all they want to send is their account number, now you are expected to pay rent, school fees and transport before you are taken seriously.” The pastor, however, clarified that the platform was not intended to suggest that all women pursue relationships for financial reasons, stating that there are “a lot of good women looking to connect with serious godly men on our platform.”

Unlike conventional dating apps, Mentor To Marry places marriage preparation before matchmaking. Prospective members are required to complete eight weeks of mentoring classes, assessments, and guided reflection before they can access the platform’s matching services. The platform is operated by Love, Dating and Marriage Ministries, a non-profit organisation registered in Nigeria, and is open to Christians aged 25 and above who are unmarried, divorced, or widowed. Applicants must identify as Christians and agree to the platform’s principles on relationships and marriage. Kingsley Okonkwo and his wife, Mildred Okonkwo, are listed among the platform’s founders, bringing pastoral care and marriage mentoring experience to the service. The platform does not guarantee a match or marriage.

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The platform offers three membership tiers, each with different levels of access and support. The Regular Plan costs N70,000 per year and includes eight weeks of mentoring classes, assessments, and surveys; access to limited profiles; an accountability system; five weekly chats; and access to a country-based matching pool. The Premium Plan costs N350,000 per year and includes everything in the Regular package, plus unlimited profile browsing, monthly profile recommendations, priority access to coaches, access to global profiles, 10 weekly chats, and access to private groups. The VIP Plan costs N700,000 per year and includes everything in the Premium package, plus a dedicated matchmaker and coach, priority access to platform founders, 15 weekly chats, off-platform introductions, a profile protection feature, and access to global profiles.

Mentor To Marry includes strict guidelines prohibiting sexual harassment, exploitation, fraud, catfishing, sexually explicit content, and financial exploitation. The platform’s stated philosophy is that the goal is not merely to help singles meet someone but to help them become ready for the kind of marriage they seek. For singles interested in marriage but not ready to enrol in a paid package, Mentor To Marry offers a free singles community.

The announcement has sparked significant backlash on social media, with many Nigerians criticising the pricing structure and questioning the pastor’s motives. Some of the reactions include: “They made you single by telling you this and that is not your husband/wife, their God is yet to show you partner. Now they will cash out on you through matchmaking, not waiting on God again” – @Temijust1; “Christ and his disciples didn’t charge any soul one Kobo but in our time pastors are charging money up and down…They are all businessmen” – @Loadedlink1; and “How did we get to a point where everything around faith seems to come with a heavy price tag?” – @Olaniyi26176099. Other commentators compared the pricing to Islamic marriage practices, with one user noting: “Moslems own, na govt dey pay. Reach Christian own, na the person wey dey find partner go pay.”