Christian leaders across Northern Nigeria have formally dropped the long-used “Northern CAN” designation and reverted to their original 1964 identity — the Northern Christian Association (NCA) — in a move aimed at restoring historical roots and clarifying their regional mandate.
The decision followed consultations among Christian stakeholders from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, who said the change corrects decades of nomenclature drift that began after the formation of the national Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in 1976. Leaders explained that the Northern body predates CAN, having first been established in 1964 to coordinate Christian activities in the region before becoming part of the national structure.
Chairman of the Northern Christian body, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said the revival of the NCA name does not signal a split from CAN but rather a return to the group’s historical identity. He noted that the “Northern CAN” label had often created confusion by implying a parallel national authority instead of a regional bloc within CAN.
According to him, the re-adopted NCA — now registered and incorporated under the revived name — is intended to strengthen coordination, advocacy and representation of Christians in Northern Nigeria while remaining fully aligned with CAN’s national leadership under its president, Archbishop Daniel Okoh.
Christian stakeholders involved in the restructuring said dropping “Nigeria” from the regional title was deliberate to avoid conflation with the national Christian Association of Nigeria, stressing that the Northern body remains an integral part of the wider CAN family.
The move has been widely interpreted by observers as an effort to reinforce cohesion and identity among Northern Christians at a time of persistent security and communal pressures in parts of the region. Church leaders have in recent years intensified advocacy over kidnappings, attacks on communities and inter-faith tensions affecting congregations in several Northern states.
By restoring the NCA name first adopted more than six decades ago, Northern Christian leaders say they are reaffirming both their historical continuity and their place within Nigeria’s unified Christian umbrella — redefining their regional voice without altering national church structures.
Abuja Network News
Tags
News