Nigerian priest gets Vatican appointment

By Vatican News staff writer

The Holy Father has appointed Msgr. Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo as Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Until now, Msgr. Ekpo has served as an official at the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

Msgr. Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo was born on 24 September 1981 in Umudike, Nigeria. He was ordained a priest on 30 July 2011 for the Diocese of Umuahia. After receiving a Doctorate in Systematic Theology from the Australian Catholic University in 2013, he obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 2021. He was appointed Chaplain to Pope Francis on 17 March 2023. Besides Igbo and English, Msgr. Ekpo speaks Italian and French. Since 5 September 2016, he has been an official in the General Affairs Section of the Secretariat of State.