Tinubu Congratulates Pope Leo XIV On Historic Election

President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV following his election as the 267th Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

In a statement released Thursday by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu commended the College of Cardinals for electing American-born Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the new spiritual leader of over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.

The Nigerian leader expressed his warm wishes to the global Catholic community, particularly the Church’s leadership and faithful in Nigeria. He noted that the Pope’s early messages of faith and hope already echo across the globe, offering scriptural reassurance of a more peaceful and compassionate world.

“The President affirms the valued relations shared between Nigeria and the Holy See over many years while acknowledging the rewarding partnership with the Catholic Church in peacebuilding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and, more recently, the promotion of technology in advancing human capacity,” the statement read in part.

President Tinubu described the Pope’s election as the beginning of a new chapter for the Catholic Church—one rooted in love, humanity, and charity, especially toward the marginalized and less privileged.