Nigerian Bishop Kukah named to Vatican Council on Human Development

Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto in Nigeria, has been appointed a member of the Council of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

The appointment, made by Pope Leo XIV, was conveyed in a letter signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin. Bishop Kukah joins a global body of Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops who will serve a five-year term, contributing to the Church’s work on justice, peace, and human dignity.

Established in 2017 by Pope Francis through the motu proprio Humanam Progressionem, the Dicastery promotes integral human development, focusing on issues such as human rights, migration, health, and environmental justice.

Born in northern Nigeria in 1952, Bishop Kukah was ordained a priest in 1976 after studies at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Jos. He later pursued higher education in Rome, Ibadan, the United Kingdom, and at the SOAS University of London, where he earned a PhD.

Before his episcopal appointment in 2011, he played key roles in national assignments, including serving as Secretary of Nigeria’s National Political Reform Conference and as a member of the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission. He has also been widely involved in peacebuilding efforts and advocacy for social justice.

As Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Kukah has gained international recognition for his consistent voice on governance, interreligious dialogue, and human development. His appointment underscores the growing contribution of African Church leaders to global conversations on justice and peace.

He joins other African members of the Dicastery, including Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of the Archdiocese of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rampeoane Hlobo, based in Nairobi.