Islam in Nigeria

Islam is the largest religion in Nigeria, accounting for around 56% of the country's population. The history of Islam in Nigeria spans over a millennium with scholars suggesting that Islam was introduced to the region as early as the 9th century, it is more commonly accepted that the religion began to take root in what is now modern-day Nigeria around the 11th century. The spread of Islam was facilitated by trade routes across the Sahara and the influence of Muslim merchants and scholars.

By the 19th century, the Sokoto Caliphate, founded through the Fulani Jihad led by Usman dan Fodio, established Islam as the predominant religion in northern Nigeria. The religion also spread to the southwest among the Yoruba through trade and cultural exchange.

Islam is the predominant religion in Nigeria, with Muslims comprising an estimated majority of the population, commonly cited at around 50–55%. Estimates of religious affiliation vary due to differing survey methodologies and the absence of an official national religious census since 1963. The vast majority of Nigerian Muslims identify as Non denominational, at around 40%. With Sunni Islam as the second biggest, with the Maliki school of jurisprudence being dominant. Sufi orders, particularly the Tijaniyya and Qadiriyya, play a significant role in religious life, with approximately 37% of Muslims identifying as Sufi.

Islam predominates in northern Nigeria, particularly among the Hausas, the Fula, and the Kanuris and has a strong presence among the Yorubas in the southwest. Higher fertility rates in Muslim-majority northern regions contribute to a projected increase in the Muslim population share by 2060.

Since 1999, twelve northern states in Nigeria have gradually adopted Sharia law. Initially limited to civil matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, the scope of Sharia was significantly expanded in 2000 to include criminal law, beginning with Zamfara State and followed by eleven others This expansion introduced punishments such as flogging and amputations, sparking concerns about compatibility with Nigeria’s secular constitution.