10 Most Popular Nigerian Pastors

Nigeria throbs with pastors. While some of them are famous and always in your face, some are as obscure as a random mushroom on a walking path. As spiritual leaders, pastors are among the people that many look up to, and with the swelling of the ranks of their followers and admirers, they become popular.

Popularity translates to an increase in many departments, including finance, as people are more willing to give based on the popularity of the pastor, and how God uses them to perform miracles and make the seemingly impossible possible.

There are many popular pastors in Nigeria. So making a list of just 10 might not cut it as many would be left out. Still, we believe this list should give a clue about the most popular pastors in Nigeria, taking in styles of service. Now let’s hop, shall we? Here are the…

10 Most Popular Nigerian Pastors

1. Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

Pastor Christopher Oyakhilome, long famous simply as Chris Oyakhilome, is the founder and general overseer of the Believers Loveworld Incorporated, popularly known as Christ Embassy. With decades in ministry, the minister, unarguably one of the most educated men preaching the gospel, has morphed into one of the most popular out there.

The Christ Embassy Healing School, A record label and so much more are part of the global ministry of Pastor Chris. He was previously married to Anita Oyakhilome. Their divorce reverberated around the world and left many believers in tears because they were initially considered the ideal couple.

2. Pastor E. A. Adeboye

He is one of the oldest in ministry and one of the most respected, too. Enoch Adejare Adeboye became the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God because he was the only one who obeyed the injunction of the first GO of the church, Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi.

The reverend gentleman had asked members of the church during a service to close their accounts and bring the money to the church. Adeboye and his wife Folu did exactly that. The rest is history. Pastor Adeboye is much loved for his humility and service.

3. Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

Ah! Meet Williams Folorunsho Kumuyi, a former university don, who started his ministry from his backyard while teaching at the university. In the intervening years, he has built a reputation for holiness and healing that reverberates around the world.

Pastor Kumuyi is the general superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (also called the Deeper Life Bible Church), with headquarters in Gbagada, Lagos State. Pastor Kumuyi emphasizes holiness in his teaching and is famous for once saying without holiness it is impossible to see the Lord.

4. Pastor David Ibiyeomie

Pastor David Ibiyeomie is another popular Nigerian pastor with a flourishing ministry spanning the length and breadth of Nigeria. Salvation Ministry, also called the home of success, has international branches as well.

The ministry is headquartered in Port Harcourt and has many wealthy Nigerians worshipping there.

5. Bishop David Oyedepo

He considers himself blessed and has such an oversized belief in God’s hands in his life that he has challenged members that, if do not see changes in their lives within a year of joining his ministry, they should as well leave.

Bishop Oyedepo is the founder of Living Faith Church (also known as Winners Chapel). He stands out as much for the exploits of his ministry, which has education and publishing arms, as for being one of the wealthiest pastors in the world.

6. Apostle Joshua Selman

Another immensely popular Nigerian Pastor is Apostle Joshua Selman. He stands out for his teaching, which especially appeals to young people across Nigeria. People often confuse him (his name) for Apostle Johnson Suleiman, who is also on this list.

7. Apostle Johnson Suleman

Apostle Johnson Suleman stands out as one of the popular pastors in Nigeria. The general overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) has been embroiled in controversies of recent, with actress Halima Abubakar claiming that he slept with her.

8. Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo

He runs the Commonwealth Of Zion Assembly (COZA) and stands out as one of the most popular in the country. Biodun Fatoyinbo doesn’t just stand out for his ministry but for his fashion sense as well. He’s often called “Gucci Pastor” for his love of the Gucci brand. His appeal is pretty strong among young people, who form the fulcrum of his church, with headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

Like Suleiman, Pastor Fatoyinbo has also been embroiled in sex scandals, the most infamous being the one narrated by a former church member, Ese Walter. She had claimed they had sex for seven days straight from a penthouse when he travelled out of Nigeria.

He promised a robust response to Ese Walter’s claims but has not addressed it since then.

9. Pastor D. K. Olukoya

Daniel Kayode Olukoya is another university scholar who delved into ministry along the way and has made great success of it as well. S the general overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry (MFM), Dr Olukoya is a Christian warlord of sorts, training the Christian race to wage war and overcome the wiles of his devil.

His ministry stands out for its focus on prayer and fasting, which are seen as robust fortifications for the believer on the material plane.

10. Pastor Lazarus Muoka

Pastor Lazarus Muoka is another immensely popular Nigerian pastor and one of the most respected, too, He is the founder and general overseer of The Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement (TLCCRM) with headquarters at Ijesha, Lagos State, Nigeria.

When the ministry was founded, critics mordantly dismissed its principles and focus on decent, non-revealing clothing. Many gave the ministry a timeline to disappear and they assumed it would not appeal to many people out there.

The opposite has been the case so far. The ministry has multiplied instead and now blooms in many nations around the world. This it was able to achieve without compromising on its principle of decency.

Of all the churches in Nigeria, members of The Lord’s Chosen are among the most recognisable with their apron advertising the church’s activities around the world.