Kukah Matthew Hassan

Matthew Hassan Kukah (Nigeria, 1952) has been Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto since 2011. Born in Anchuna, in Kaduna State, he studied philosophy and theology at St Augustine’s Major Seminary in Jos and was ordained a priest in 1976. He obtained a Bachelor of Divinity from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, a Master’s degree in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford (United Kingdom) and a PhD in Political Science and African Studies from SOAS, University of London. He has also undertaken research and training at the University of Oxford and the Harvard Kennedy School.

A leading figure in interreligious dialogue and the promotion of peace in Nigeria, he has served as secretary of the Nigerian Bishops’ Conference, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights Violations, and an adviser to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Since 2020, he has been a member of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He is the author of numerous essays on democracy, reconciliation, religion and society.