Editing Demographics of Nigeria (section)

==Religion==
{{main article|Religion in Nigeria}}

:50% Muslim, 48.2% Christian, 1.8% other<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/nigerial/|title=2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Nigeria|publisher=Office of International Religious Freedom|access-date=7 February 2024|archive-date=7 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207224243/https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/nigerial/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nigeria is nearly equally divided between Islam and Christianity. The majority of Nigerian Muslims are [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] and mostly live in the northern, central and south-western states of the country, while Christians dominate in some central states (especially Plateau and Benue states), and the south-east and south-south regions. Other religions practised in Nigeria include [[Traditional African religions|African Traditional Religion]], [[Hinduism in Nigeria|Hinduism]], [[Baháʼí Faith]], Judaism, The [[Grail Movement]], and the Reformed Ògbóni Fraternity, one of the traditional socio-religious institutions of the [[Yorùbá people]] and their Òrìṣà religion known as Ẹ̀sìn Òrìṣà Ìbílẹ̀ in the [[Yorùbá language]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ikenwa |first=Chizoba |date=24 September 2019 |title=All Types of Religions in Nigeria Explained |url=https://nigerianinfopedia.com.ng/types-of-religions-in-nigeria/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |website=Nigerian Infopedia |language=en-US |archive-date=30 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130200917/https://nigerianinfopedia.com.ng/types-of-religions-in-nigeria/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

According to a 2009 Pew survey, 50.4% of Nigeria's population were [[Muslims]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf |title=Mapping out the Global Muslim Population |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010050756/http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2009 }}</ref> A later Pew study in 2011 calculated that Christians now formed 50.8% of the population.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf |title=Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population |website=Pewforum.org |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723134849/http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-sub-saharan-africa |title=Future of the World Muslim Population |website=Pewforum.org |date=27 January 2011 |access-date=16 May 2014 |archive-date=29 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829081436/http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/future-of-the-global-muslim-population-regional-sub-saharan-africa/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Adherents of other religions made up 1% of the population.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6508055.stm |publisher=BBC News |title=Nigeria: Facts and figures |date=17 April 2007 |access-date=4 October 2010 |archive-date=7 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507032249/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6508055.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The shift of population balance between Muslims and Christians is a result of northern and southern Nigeria being in different stages of demographic transition. The Muslim-dominated north is in an earlier stage of the demographic transition with much higher fertility rates than the south, whose split Christian/Muslim population is further along in the transition, and whose fertility rates are declining. Decreasing fertility can be linked to more access to education, use of contraceptives, and differing beliefs regarding family planning.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Stonawski |first1=Marcin |last2=Potančoková |first2=Michaela |last3=Cantele |first3=Matthew |last4=Skirbekk |first4=Vegard |title=The changing religious composition of Nigeria: causes and implications of demographic divergence |journal=The Journal of Modern African Studies |date=September 2016 |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=361–387 |doi=10.1017/s0022278x16000409 |url=http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/13485/1/The%20changing%20religious%20composition%20of%20Nigeria.pdf |access-date=19 February 2019 |archive-date=28 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328182225/http://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/13485/1/The%20changing%20religious%20composition%20of%20Nigeria.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 1999 introduction of [[Sharia law]] in twelve northern Nigerian states led to massive violence and unrest and caused an ethnic and religious rift between Sharia and Non-Sharia states, a divide that has deepened with time.<ref name=":0" />