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Radio Maria (RM) was born in Italy. Initially a parish radio that appeared in 1983 in Arcellasco d’Erba, in the province of Como, in the Diocese of Milan. In January 1987, RM became independent from the parish and the Radio Maria Association was formed, made up of lay people and priests, in order to develop a work of evangelization on a larger scale. RM is in fact not the heritage of a particular congregation or movement, but an initiative of Catholics open to any ecclesial reality in communion with its Hierarchy. A layman, Emanuele Ferrario, was instrumental in promoting this initiative. The fundamental intuition was to offer a powerful radio instrument to announce the Gospel and call for conversion, through explicitly religious programming, assisted by volunteers and without advertising.
Very quickly spread throughout Italy, already in the 90s, this unique radio experience aroused interest in other parts of the world. Subsequently, always under the direction and support of Radio Maria Italy, other Radio Maria emerged in America (beginning with Peru), Africa (first Burkina Faso), the rest of Europe… It was therefore desirable to establish an association of all existing RMs, and so the World Family of Radio Maria was born in June 1998, and became an NGO recognized by the UN, with legal headquarters in Rome. Its objective is the development of the missionary project, to respond to requests that come from all regions of the world, guaranteeing the authenticity of the brand, providing technical assistance to all RMs, and promoting exchanges and mutual assistance between each radio.
The Global Family maintains regular informative relations with the Pontifical Council for Social Communications of the Holy See.
79 stations currently form a formidable network of Catholic radio throughout the world, which an African cardinal called “the gift of the Virgin to the Church”: 25 stations in Europe + 4 linguistic minorities, 20 in America + 3 linguistic minorities, 25 in Africa + 22 substations, and 9 in Asia and Oceania. With nearly 2,000 repeaters around the world, Radio Maria is an outstretched hand that speaks to a population of approximately 500 million listeners worldwide. A panorama of more than 65 languages spoken in our stations allows the Word of God to do its work in hearts. His attention is particularly directed to people who suffer in body and spirit, single people, the elderly, the poor and prisoners, as well as couples and families. In respect of consciences, it testifies to the love of God and the hope of eternal life.
Each RM has an independent management in each country, but is united in religious inspiration, editorial line, the fundamental importance of voluntary work, financing by donations from listeners, exclusion of advertising and non-interference in partisan political debates.
Radio Maria Development Initiative is an association registered in Nigeria that implements Radio Maria project in the country. It was registered in 2019. In collaboration with the Archdiocese of Abuja a broadcasting license was requested from the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which was granted in 2020. The radio covers most of the Archdiocese which has a population of 3,871,950.
Although in Abuja district, Catholics are 15.8%, our listeners are also from other denominations: both Christian and Muslims.
The official launch of Radio Maria in Abuja was officiated on 30 th of April 2022, Buy His Grace
Most. Rev. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of Abuja.
Radio Maria Nigeria – Abuja station is currently on air
with frequency 91.3 FM.
Our radio programs invest on evangelization through liturgy (Mass, prayers, traditional rosary etc.), Christian formation programs (like history of the church, Christology, Mariology etc.), human promotion (education, health, social and cultural programs etc.) news and entertainment. These programs are presented in English, Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba languages.
The Radio team is composed of President, priest director, coordinator, administrator, promoter, supporting staff and volunteers.
The aim of this project is to install radio tools to reach out to humanity so that the word of
God can be spread to the people of Nigeria over the airwaves. It brings reconciliation and
peace of heart, to the Christian community and society at large especially in these troubling
moments in the country.
