Africa Overtakes Europe in Catholic Population as Numbers Reach 288.3 Million
Africa has overtaken Europe in Catholic population, becoming the world’s second-largest Catholic region, according to newly released figures from Agenzia Fides.
The continent now has 288.3 million Catholics, compared with Europe’s 287.2 million. The Americas remain the world’s largest Catholic region.
The figures, drawn from the Catholic Church’s Statistical Yearbook, cover data recorded up to December 31, 2024.
Globally, the Catholic population increased by 15.8 million to approximately 1.4 billion, with Africa recording the largest continental growth.
Africa added 7.58 million Catholics, gained 1,676 priests and recorded an increase of 786 seminarians, making it the only continent with seminarian growth.
Reacting to the development, Bishop Edward Hiiboro Kussala of South Sudan described the figures as an opportunity for renewed missionary responsibility.
He said Africa, having received Christianity through missionaries from other regions, could now share its faith and experiences with the universal Church.
Nigeria’s Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa identified the continent’s youthful population, family traditions, Catholic schools, hospitals and parish communities as contributing factors.
He disclosed that seminarians in his Diocese of Katsina increased from approximately 21 in 2023 to more than 40 in 2026.
However, he cautioned that demographic growth alone could not explain the increasing Catholic population.
Father Vincent Simba, rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Senior Seminary in Nairobi, expressed hope that African missionaries would eventually serve communities abroad.
Similarly, Bishop Joseph Kacou Aka of Ivory Coast emphasised the importance of sharing Africa’s priestly vocations, theological contributions and missionary experiences.
Father George Omondi also highlighted the expansion of Catholic parishes, saying improved access to pastoral services had brought the Church closer to communities.
Despite the growth, Catholic leaders stressed that missionary work should remain a mutual exchange rather than competition between continents.
Source: Agenzia Fides and ACI Africa. Originally reported by Father Don Bosco Onyalla and adapted by EWTN News.
