The Nigerian Baptist Convention

Christian outreach began in Nigeria in the early 1800s. Southern Baptists arrived in 1850; Nigeria is the Southern Baptist's third-oldest mission field and the oldest with continuous SBC missionary presence.

Baptist work began in the southwest part of Nigeria among the Yoruba People. This work became very successful. Many villages and cities in the southwest are now predominantly Baptist. The early missionaries used a mission compound approach. This approach concentrated on building schools, hospitals, and seminaries. The missionaries lived together in compounds and the Nigerians came to them for education, health care, and other services. Today, there are two Baptist Medical Centres, two seminaries, and several pastor's schools.

Over the last 130 years, Baptist work expanded into areas outside the southwest. Baptist churches have been started in most areas of the country. A recent survey revealed about 750,000 Baptists in Nigeria.

Baptist work with Muslims and other unreached people groups began in the mid-1980s. Nigerian Baptists have adopted outreach to Fulani as one of their evangelistic goals in their "Operation Reach All" Program. They have two full-time missionaries working among Fulanis.

Based on : Your Guide to International Missions, IMB, 1998

Is there a Baptist Convention in Nigeria? Are they Southern Baptist? International Mission Board missionaries have always started Baptist churches, but they are independent of the SBC. Here's some information about the Baptists in Nigeria.

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