Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama

Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama has been Archbishop of Abuja (Nigeria) since November 2019. Previously, he was Coajutor Archbishop of Abuja from March to November 2019 and before that was Archbishop of Jos from 2000 to 2019 and Bishop of Jalingo from 1995 to 2000. He also served as Apostolic Administrator of Jos from March 2019 to March 2020.

Archbishop Kaigama studied for the priesthood at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Jos. He was ordained a priest on June 6, 1981. At the Pontifical Gregorian University, he earned a doctorate in theology in 1991.

Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalingo on 3 February 1994. He was consecrated as bishop on 23 April 1995.  On 18 May 2000, Pope John Paul II named Kaigama to succeed Gabriel Gonsum Ganaka as Archbishop of Jos.

Kaigama was President of the Nigerian Bishops Conference from 2012 to 2018 and President of the Episcopal Conference of West African Catholic Bishops. He is also chairman of the Plateau State-convened “Interreligious Committee for Peace”. Together with the late Emir of Wase, Alhaji Haruna Abdullahi, he has been involved in promoting mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims

Photo credit: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-01/nigeria-kidnapping-insecurity-kaigama-abuja-orphanage.html

Bio Credit: https://catholicarchdioceseofabuja.org/team-member/his-grace-most-rev-dr-ignatius-ayau-kaigama