Mission guide
Nigeria Abuja Mission
A guide to Abuja, Nigeria, and the history and daily setting of the Nigeria Abuja Mission.
- English
- Igbo
Nigeria Abuja Mission shirts
Every style made for this mission, printed when you order.
Nigeria Abuja Mission T-Shirt
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Nigeria Abuja Mission Heart Map Shirt
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Nigeria Abuja Mission Flag Map Shirt
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Choose size & color →I Glory in My Jesus, in the language of this mission
2 Nephi 33:6 as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
Weak Things Become Strong, in the language of this mission
"I make weak things become strong" (Ether 12:27) as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
About the mission
English and Igbo are spoken in the mission setting. Missionaries may also hear many other Nigerian languages as they meet people from different parts of the country.
At a glance
- Country
- Nigeria
- Main city
- Abuja, 776,298 people in the 2006 census
- Time zone
- West Africa Time (UTC+1)
- Climate
- Tropical wet and dry, with a rainy season from April to October
- Languages
- English and Igbo
- Church in Nigeria
- 250,341 members, 77 stakes, 840 congregations
A short history of the area
Nigeria began moving its federal capital from Lagos to Abuja after Decree No. 6 was issued on February 4, 1976. Abuja was planned in the 1980s and became Nigeria’s capital on December 12, 1991.
The Church here
- Early 1960sChurch leaders attempted to establish a mission in Nigeria after Nigerians organized unofficial congregations and wrote to Church leaders.
- 1978Following President Spencer W. Kimball’s revelation extending priesthood ordination and temple blessings to worthy Church members of African descent, the Church was established in Nigeria.
- 1983A Nigerian mission was organized, originally also covering Ghana.
- 1988The first stake in Nigeria was organized in Aba, with David W. Eka as president.
- 2005The Aba Temple was dedicated.
- 2012The first stake in Abuja was organized.
- 2018More than 160,000 Latter-day Saints lived in Nigeria, 40 years after the first baptisms there.
Temples nearby
Abuja Nigeria Temple
Announced · Near Abuja
Aba Nigeria Temple
Dedicated August 7, 2005 · About 275 miles from Abuja
The Book of Mormon here
Missionaries in this mission share the Book of Mormon in these languages. Tap a cover to read it free.
Cover art is an illustration. Links open the free edition on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Before you go
Phrases to learn
- NdewoHello
- Kedu?How are you?
- DaalụThank you
- BikoPlease
Foods to try
- Suya (spiced grilled meat)
- Grilled catfish (seasoned catfish cooked over a fire)
- Pounded yam (smooth yam served with soup)
- Egusi soup (a rich soup made with ground melon seeds)
Fun facts
- Aso Rock is a 400-metre monolith formed by water erosion.
- Zuma Rock, a 725-metre monolith, stands just north of Abuja on the road to Kaduna.
- The Abuja Light Rail, which opened in 2018, was the first rapid-transit system in Nigeria and Western Africa.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.