Here are the four Nigerian Catholic Cardinals

Nigeria currently has four (4) living Catholic Cardinals, three of whom are retired with one still in active age and serving.

The Retired Nigerian cardinals are:

i. His Eminence, Cardinal Francis Arinze: Born in 1932, he is the most senior Nigerian cardinal. Pope John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 1985.

He had a distinguished career at the Vatican, notably serving as the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He served as the Prefect of the Secretariat for Non-Christians from 1984 to 2002 and Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2002 to 2008.

He previously served as the Archbishop of Onitsha from 1967 to 1985 and as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria from 1979 to 1984.

ii. His Eminence, Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie: Born in 1936, he is the Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos. He was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He was the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN.

iii. His Eminence, Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan: Born in 1944, he is the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja. He was made a cardinal in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.

He was archbishop of the Latin Church archdiocese of Abuja from 1994 to 2019. He has served as president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, President of The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), and bishop of Ilorin.

The Active Nigerian cardinal:

iv. His Eminence, Cardinal Peter Ebere Okpaleke: Born in 1963, he is the Bishop of Ekwulobia.

He was appointed Bishop of Ahiara in 2012 and consecrated in 2013, but after the local clergy and laity insisted on an Mbaise bishop instead, he was installed as bishop of Ekwulobia. He was elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis on 27 August, 2022.