The United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith, has concluded a three-day visit to Nigeria aimed at strengthening interfaith dialogue and promoting peaceful coexistence across the country.
According to a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office/ British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, stated that Nigeria is the first focus country visited by Smith under the UK’s Freedom of Religion or Belief strategy.
The statement said that during the visit, Smith held meetings with senior government officials, religious leaders, civil society organisations and local communities as part of efforts to deepen cooperation on religious freedom and national cohesion.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu amd Ital
It added that the envoy met with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang
Smith held discussions with the co-chairs of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, including Daniel Okoh and Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III.
The statement quoted him as saying at the end of the visit, “Over the past few days, I have been honoured to meet a wide range of people — from senior government figures and civil society to faith leaders and local communities. I came to listen, learn, and see both how freedom of religion or belief is experienced in everyday life, and how it connects to and is a core part of addressing Nigeria’s wider challenges around security and cohesion.
“Some of the most powerful moments of this visit were at the community level. Visiting Father Emmanuel Unamba’s parish and meeting Christian and Muslim neighbours living side by side was a real reminder that peaceful coexistence is something people build every day through leadership, dialogue, and shared responsibility.
What I take away from this visit is the importance of further progress being Nigerian-led, rooted in strong institutions and inclusive dialogue, with FoRB at its heart. The UK will continue to support practical efforts in ensuring greater peace, security and prosperity for all.”
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Chukwudumebi Okoh, and Special Envoy David Smith MP flanked by committee members of CAN and staff of the British High Commission in Abuja, at the National Ecumenical Centre. Photo Credit: BHC
The statement added that the visit also featured a roundtable with partners of the UK-funded Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme, a £38 million conflict and resilience initiative operating mainly in Kaduna, Katsina, Benue and Plateau states.
Smith further met with officials of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, the National Human Rights Commission and civil society groups working on insecurity and religious freedom.
He also visited the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja.
According to the statement, the envoy called for greater tolerance across religions and beliefs in Nigeria and expressed hope that the level of community cohesion witnessed in Abuja could be replicated nationwide.
The British government said the visit builds on the outcome of President Bola Tinubu’s March 2026 state visit to the United Kingdom, which reinforced the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership and promoted interfaith engagement between both countries.
By: Deborah Musa
