Religion in the Republic of the Congo
- Christianity (87.2%)
- None (8.10%)
- Islam (2.70%)
- Traditional faiths (0.40%)
- Other (1.60%)
Christianity is the predominant religion in the Republic of the Congo, with Catholicism being its largest denomination according to the 2012 census. Islam is the largest minority faith.
The Republic of the Congo is a secular state and freedom of religion is enshrined in the nation's constitution.
Statistics
[edit]According to the government 2025 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), 87.2% of the Congolese population between aged 15–49 identified as Christian, 2.7% as Muslim, 0.4% as adherent to traditional faiths, 1.6% as practitioner of other religions, and 8.1% as having no religion.[1]
| Religion | DHS Surveys | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025[1] | ||
| # | % | |
| Christianity | 13,922 | 87.2 |
| —Protestantism* | 8,978 | 56.2 |
| —Catholicism | 3,893 | 24.4 |
| —Matswanism | 800 | 5.0 |
| —Jehovah's Witnesses | 140 | 0.9 |
| —Kimbanguism | 111 | 0.7 |
| Islam | 434 | 2.7 |
| Traditional faiths | 62 | 0.4 |
| Other | 268 | 1.6 |
| No religion | 1,298 | 8.1 |
| Total sample | 15,984 | 100 |
| * Includes adherents of the Salvation Army,
Revival Churches, and Adventism. | ||
Overview
[edit]
Different sources give varying population figures for various denominations. The 2012 census reported 55% of the native-born population is Catholic, 32% Protestant, and 2% Muslim.[2] However a government survey of the same year had 32% as Catholic, 55% Protestant, 2% Muslim, 9% other religions, and 2% atheist or unaffiliated.[2] However, many people in the country are non-native-born Muslims who are not included in government statistics.[2] According to the CIA World Factbook, in 2007 the people of the Republic of Congo were largely a mix of Catholics (33.1%), Awakening/Revival churches (22.3%), Protestants (19.9%), and none (11.3%). Smaller groups include Salutiste 2.2% and Kimbanguiste (1.5%). Followers of Islam made up 1.6%, primarily due to an influx of foreign workers into the urban centers.[3]
Most Muslim workers in urban centers are immigrants from West Africa and Lebanon, with some also from North Africa. The West African immigrants arrived mostly from Mali, Benin, Togo, Mauritania, and Senegal. The Lebanese are primarily Sunni Muslims.[citation needed]
A small minority practice Kimbanguism, a syncretistic movement that originated in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. While retaining many elements of Christianity, Kimbanguism also recognizes its founder (Simon Kimbangu) as a prophet and incorporates African traditional beliefs, such as ancestor worship.[citation needed]
Tenrikyo
[edit]
A community of Tenrikyo followers exists in Brazzaville.
During the 1960s, Tenrikyo, a Japanese religion, was introduced to the Republic of the Congo. Alphonse Nsonga and his brother became the first Congolese, and African, Tenrikyo converts in 1962. Alphonse Nsonga later became the head minister of Africa's first Tenrikyo church, the Tenrikyo Congo Brazzaville Church, on April 26, 1975.[4][5]
Freedom of religion
[edit]In 2023, the country scored 3 out of 4 for religious freedom.[6] Though religions mostly act with freedom in the country at present, the government's attempt to implement socialist reforms in the 1970s led to the nationalisation of many religious institutions, such as schools, as well as restrictions on religious activities. This is a reality from which the Catholic Church, for example, has not yet fully recovered, operating a lower proportion of schools (10%) than in neighbouring countries.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Institut National de la Statistique, ICF (August 2026). "Congo Demographic and Health Survey 2025 - Key Indicators Report (French)". Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS (in French). Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo and Rockville, Maryland, Maryland, United States of America. p. 10. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Republic of the Congo". United States State Department. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ↑ "Congo, Republic of the". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2023-12-06. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ↑ Horiuchi, Midori (2017). "A Unique Expression of Doctrine: A Case Study of the Tenrikyo Congo-Brazzaville Church". Tenri Journal of Religion. 45: 49–61.
- ↑ Mayer, Jean-François (13 October 2017). "Tenrikyo au Congo-Brazzaville : l'inculturation d'une nouvelle religion venue du Japon". Religioscope (in French).
- ↑ Freedom House website, retrieved 2023-08-01
- ↑ "Congo-Brazzaville: A forgotten Church". ACN International. Aid to the Church in Need. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
