Nigerians pray more than every country in the world except Afghanistan, according to a Pew Research poll on the importance of prayers and religion in 110 countries and territories.
The 95% of Nigerians who pray daily surpass the world average of 49%.
Prayer shows connections with the level of prosperity or poverty, peace or instability, and the mental well-being or struggles of people in a country.
People who pray every day are most likely found in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and North Africa (MENA).
People who pray least are most likely found in the advanced economies of Europe and Asia.
In rich societies, it is unclear whether it is their prosperity that makes them pray less or their habit of praying less that makes them prosper more.
In poor societies too, it is unclear whether it is poverty that forces them to pray every day for help or their habit of praying frequently that leads to poverty and its manifest human suffering.
Prosperity: An Answer to Prayers?
Evidence shows people become poorer in countries like Nigeria, where people pray to be prosperous.
Prayer alone is unlikely to lift people out of poverty without self-help, accompanied by social and economic interventions, the Pew Research data indicates.
In addition to prayer, 6 of the top 10 countries where people say religion is very important in their lives are in Sub-Saharan Africa, home to the world’s poorest people.
Again, citizens of advanced economies in Europe and Asia are less likely to say religion is very important in their lives.
The Pew Research results support multiple findings that link very prayerful and religious countries with high poverty rates.
The question then is, can people pray their way to poverty?
Well, those living in poverty are people who often pray for prosperity.
However, the Gallup Poll suggests religion or prayer serves a more practical purpose in the world’s poorest nations, helping people cope with the daily challenges of providing for themselves and their families.
Then, it appears Nigerians’ prayers are not necessarily about cultivating religious values of piety and social justice.
While 95% of Nigerians pray every day, the second highest rate in the world, only 88% believe religion is very important in their lives, less than the rate in the world’s top 10 countries.
With the high crime and corruption rate in the country, it appears people pray to prosper and not to cultivate religious values of honesty, humanity, and hard work that result in social cohesion and economic development elsewhere.
Poverty: An Answer to Prayers
Poverty is more widespread in countries with a higher percentage of people who pray daily, albeit with a few exceptions. Conversely, the lowest poverty rates are found in countries with the lowest levels of daily prayer.