His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed the Most Reverend Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos, Nigeria, as a Member of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches, effective 30 June 2026. The appointment recognizes his 27 years of distinguished episcopal ministry and his outstanding service as one of the most respected Catholic prelates in sub-Saharan Africa. With this appointment, he becomes the first Nigerian bishop to serve as a member of this Dicastery.
The Dicastery for Evangelization, restructured under Pope Francis’ Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium (2022) and with its mandate renewed under Pope Leo XIV, carries a dual mission: to promote the New Evangelization in historically Christian societies and to support the growth and flourishing of mission Churches throughout the Global South.
A press statement by the Secretary to the Archbishop,Rev. Fr Paul Ariole noted that Archbishop Martins brings exceptional experience and competence to both dimensions of this mission.
Born on 1 June 1959 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Archbishop Martins was ordained a priest on 18 September 1983 by Anthony Cardinal Okogie at Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos. He graduated with First Class Honours in Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome. He also holds postgraduate degrees in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan and the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and commenced doctoral studies at the University of Edinburgh before his appointment as Bishop.
Saint John Paul II appointed him the first Bishop of the Diocese of Abeokuta in 1997. During fourteen years of episcopal leadership, he built the young diocese from 8 incardinated priests to more than 60, laying strong foundations for its pastoral and institutional growth. Pope Benedict XVI subsequently appointed him Archbishop of Lagos on 25 May 2012.
As Archbishop of Lagos, he has ordained 84 priests, expanded the Archdiocese from 7 to 20 deaneries, and dedicated more than 50 churches and parishes. Today, he shepherds approximately 3.5 million Catholics in one of the largest metropolitan sees in Africa.
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lagos covers approximately 3,577 square kilometres and serves a population of about 20 million people, including an estimated 3.5 million Catholics. The Archdiocese comprises more than 230 parishes, over 200 outstations, 100 Mass centres, and 20 deaneries.
The Archdiocese is served by approximately 600 priests, including 190 diocesan priests, 92 Fidei Donum priests from within and outside Nigeria, and 300 male religious priests. It is further supported by hundreds of religious brothers and sisters, including contemplative communities. There are presently more than 360 female religious serving throughout the Archdiocese. The Archdiocese oversees more than 100 healthcare institutions, approximately 80 nursery, primary, and secondary schools, and numerous charitable, social service, and pastoral centres dedicated to evangelization and human development.
Under Archbishop Martins’ leadership, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, the first Catholic-owned university in Lagos State, attained full degree-awarding status. He also established the St John Mary Vianney Home for Priests and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre, both of which stand as significant institutional investments in the long-term mission and pastoral life of the Church in Lagos.
At the national level, Archbishop Martins served as Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria from 2008 to 2012 and currently serves as Vice President of the Conference. He is Co-Chairman of the Nigerian Anglican–Roman Catholic Commission, Chairman of the Governing Council of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), and was
a delegate of the Nigerian Church to the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in 2009. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) from 2022 to 2025.
His appointment to the Dicastery for Evangelization marks a significant moment for the Church in Nigeria and West Africa. A Church that once received missionaries now sends one of its most experienced shepherds to help shape the global mission of evangelization. His pastoral experience, forged within the complexities of Africa’s largest megacity, offers a valuable perspective to the work of the Dicastery and to the Church’s missionary outreach in the twenty-first century.
Archbishop Martins will contribute to the Dicastery’s assemblies, consultations, and decision-making processes while continuing to serve as Archbishop of Lagos. Based in Lagos, he will participate in the work of the Dicastery in Rome as required. He is the fourth Archbishop of Lagos, succeeding Archbishop Leo Hale Taylor, SMA, Archbishop John Kwao Amuzu Aggey, and Anthony Cardinal Okogie.
