# Archdiocese of Jos

### _Archidioecesis Iosensis_

  


### Bishop(s)

  * Matthew Ishaya **Audu****, Archbishop**



### Suffragan Dioceses

  * Bauchi
  * Jalingo
  * Maiduguri
  * Pankshin
  * Shendam
  * Wukari
  * Yola

| 

### General Information

  * Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese 
  * Elevated: 26 March 1994
  * Metropolitan See 
  * Rite: Latin (or Roman) 
  * Country: Nigeria
  * Square Kilometers: 6,769 (2,614 Square Miles) 
  * Official Web Site: http://www.archjosnigeria.org/
  * Mailing Address: Archbishop's House, P.O. Box 494, 20 Joseph D. Gornwalk Road, Riyom Drive, 930001 Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria 
  * Telephone: (0803)53.47.224 

  
---|---  
  
## Historical Details

  * **Prefecture Apostolic of Jos**
    * Latin Name: _de Jos_
    * Erected: 9 April 1934
    * Country: Nigeria
  * **Diocese of Jos**
    * Latin Name: _Iosensis_
    * Elevated: 29 June 1953
    * Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Kaduna
    * Country: Nigeria



## Past and Present Ordinaries

  * William **Lumley** , S.M.A. † (22 Jun 1934 Appointed - 29 Jun 1953 Resigned) 
  * John Joseph **Reddington** , S.M.A. † (10 Apr 1954 Appointed - 3 Jul 1974 Resigned) 
  * Gabriel Gonsum **Ganaka** † (5 Oct 1974 Appointed - 11 Nov 1999 Died) 
  * Ignatius Ayau **Kaigama** (14 Apr 2000 Appointed - 11 Mar 2019 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Abuja) 
  * Matthew Ishaya **Audu** (6 Jan 2020 Appointed - ) 

  


## Historical Summary

Date| Event| From| To  
---|---|---|---  
**Prefecture Apostolic of Jos**  
9 April 1934| Erected| Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Nigeria {Nigeria Settentrionale} (Plateau, Baciti, and part of Benue and part of Bornou) | Prefecture Apostolic of Jos (erected)   
28 April 1942| Territory Lost| Vicariate Apostolic of Dahomey   
Vicariate Apostolic of Foumban   
Prefecture Apostolic of Ghardaïa nel Sahara   
Prefecture Apostolic of Jos   
Prefecture Apostolic of Kaduna   
Vicariate Apostolic of Khartoum   
Vicariate Apostolic of Ouagadougou | Prefecture Apostolic of Niamey (erected)   
14 July 1950| Territory Lost| Diocese of Buéa   
Prefecture Apostolic of Jos   
Prefecture Apostolic of Oturkpo | Prefecture Apostolic of Yola (erected) (Adamctwa and parts of Bomu)   
29 June 1953| Territory Lost| Prefecture Apostolic of Jos (Borau) | Prefecture Apostolic of Maiduguri (erected)   
**Diocese of Jos**  
29 June 1953| Elevated| Prefecture Apostolic of Jos | Diocese of Jos   
12 December 1955| Territory Lost| Diocese of Jos (Northern part of Benne) | Prefecture Apostolic of Oturkpo  
16 July 1959| Metropolitan Changed| Diocese of Jos (from Onitsha)   
**Archdiocese of Jos**  
26 March 1994| Elevated| Diocese of Jos | Archdiocese of Jos   
10 July 1995| Territory Lost| Archdiocese of Jos (Kaura, Jema'a, and Jaba)   
Archdiocese of Kaduna (Kaum, Lere, and Zangón Kataf) | Diocese of Kafanchan (erected)   
5 July 1996| Territory Lost| Archdiocese of Jos (Akko, Alkaleri, Balanga, Bauchi, Billirri, Darazo, Dass, Dukku, Gamawa, Gankuwa, Gombe, Itas/Gadau, Jama'are, Kaltungo, Katagum, Misau, Nafada, Nigi, Shiri, Tafawa-Balewa, Toro, Tamaltu/Deba, and Zaki) | Vicariate Apostolic of Bauchi (erected)   
5 December 2000| Territory Lost| Archdiocese of Jos (Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon, and Wamba)   
Diocese of Makurdi (Nasarawa along with Karu, Keffi, Lafia, Obi, Awe, Doma, Nasarawa, Toto, Keana, and Kokana) | Diocese of Lafia (erected)   
2 June 2007| Territory Lost| Archdiocese of Jos (Shendam, Langtang North, Langtang South, Mikang, Wase, and Qua'an Pan along with Lankan, Jiblik, Abwor/Dyis, Chip, Jing, Tal, and Pai) | Diocese of Shendam (erected)   
18 March 2014| Territory Lost| Archdiocese of Jos   
Diocese of Shendam | Diocese of Pankshin (erected) (Pankshin, Kanke, Mangu, Bokkos, and Kanam)   
  
## Statistics

Year| Catholics| Total Population| Percent Catholic| Diocesan Priests| Religious Priests| Total Priests| Catholics Per Priest| Permanent Deacons| Male Religious| Female Religious| Parishes| Source  
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---  
**Diocese of Jos**  
1970| 67,549| 2,300,000| 2.9%| 52| 57| 109| 619| 57| 18| ap1971  
1980| 170,000| 3,802,000| 4.5%| 25| 37| 62| 2,741| 3| 52| 45| ap1981  
1990| 450,000| 5,800,000| 7.8%| 52| 24| 76| 5,921| 56| 79| ap1991  
**Archdiocese of Jos**  
1999| 687,000| 2,863,400| 24.0%| 43| 14| 57| 12,052| 33| 69| 28| ap2000  
2000| 636,000| 2,560,000| 24.8%| 67| 14| 81| 7,851| 27| 66| 32| ap2001  
2001| 789,822| 3,037,780| 26.0%| 78| 12| 90| 8,775| 27| 81| 32| ap2002  
2002| 375,470| 3,128,913| 12.0%| 57| 14| 71| 5,288| 30| 83| 32| ap2003  
2003| 405,695| 3,222,780| 12.6%| 82| 13| 95| 4,270| 29| 53| 32| ap2004  
2004| 507,164| 3,107,225| 16.3%| 101| 15| 116| 4,372| 33| 64| 32| ap2005  
2006| 548,573| 3,263,278| 16.8%| 100| 14| 114| 4,812| 73| 60| 49| ap2007  
2007| 399,522| 2,228,468| 17.9%| 72| 12| 84| 4,756| 2| 64| 37| bul2Jun07  
2013| 513,356| 3,738,000| 13.7%| 93| 19| 112| 4,583| 101| 58| 62| ap2014  
2014| 360,055| 1,650,000| 21.8%| 48| 48| 7,501| 16| 51| 43| bul:18Mar2014  
2016| 374,299| 1,691,250| 22.1%| 68| 19| 87| 4,302| 81| 54| 45| ap2017  
2019| 396,062| 1,770,964| 22.4%| 89| 21| 110| 3,600| 65| 58| 57| ap2020  
2021| 410,466| 1,860,618| 22.1%| 109| 29| 138| 2,974| 50| 64| 60| ap2022  
  
## Affiliated Bishops, Living

  * David **Ajang** (Priest: 3 Dec 1994 to 31 Mar 2021) 
  * Matthew Ishaya **Audu** (Archbishop: 6 Jan 2020 \- ) 
  * Oliver Dashe **Doeme** (Priest: 18 Oct 1997 to 2 Jun 2007) 
  * Philip Davou **Dung** (Priest: 24 Nov 1984 to 5 Nov 2016) 
  * Michael Gobal **Gokum** (Priest: 16 Nov 1991 to 18 Mar 2014) 
  * Ignatius Ayau **Kaigama** (Archbishop: 14 Apr 2000 to 11 Mar 2019; Apostolic Administrator: 11 Mar 2019 to 31 Mar 2020) 



## Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

  * Kevin Joseph **Aje** † (Priest: 12 Jun 1966 to 15 Oct 1982) 
  * Gabriel Gonsum **Ganaka** † (Priest: 4 Jul 1965; Auxiliary Bishop: 17 May 1973; Bishop: 5 Oct 1974; Archbishop: 26 Mar 1994 to 11 Nov 1999) 
  * Malachy John **Goltok** † (Priest: 4 Nov 1990 to 18 Mar 2011) 
  * Peter Yariyok **Jatau** † (Priest: 7 Jul 1963 to 26 Jun 1972) 
  * William **Lumley** , S.M.A. † (Prefect: 22 Jun 1934 to 29 Jun 1953) 
  * John Joseph **Reddington** , S.M.A. † (Bishop: 10 Apr 1954 to 3 Jul 1974) 



## Source(s)

  * **Prefecture Apostolic of Jos**
    * Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 27, Page 252, and Page 253
  * **Diocese of Jos**
    * Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 46, Page 38, to Page 40
    * Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 52, Page 72, and Page 73
  * **Archdiocese of Jos**
    * Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 86, Page 559

  
---