Bridging the Muslim-Christian Divide in Nigeria

The last two decades have seen rising religious tensions in Nigeria, one of the world’s few countries evenly divided between adherents of Islam and Christianity. This paper will review the sources of religious conflicts in Nigeria, and examine the impacts of some of the many peace-building initiatives underway to bridge the religious divide, particularly in the restive Middle Belt region. Special attention will be paid to the work of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, which has embarked upon a major interfaith peace initiative in six states of Nigeria.