Africa’s Biggest Church with 120,000-seat Capacity Opens
Salvation Ministries has officially opened its Hand of God Cathedral in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, following 16 years of construction on a facility reported to have a seating capacity of 120,000 worshippers.
The massive church auditorium, located in Igwuruta along Port Harcourt International Airport Road in Rivers State, was dedicated on Friday, November 6, 2026, in a ceremony attended by thousands of worshippers and prominent Nigerian church leaders.
The dedication was led by Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel. He joined Pastor David Ibiyeomie, founder of Salvation Ministries, at the ceremony.
The cathedral is now being described as the world’s largest church auditorium based on its reported seating capacity, surpassing several other major worship centres in Nigeria and beyond.
16 years of construction
Construction of the Hand of God Cathedral began in 2010, with the original design intended to accommodate about 40,000 worshippers.
However, the plans were expanded as Salvation Ministries grew under Ibiyeomie’s leadership, increasing the proposed capacity to 120,000.
The completed facility covers approximately 56,130 square metres and rises eight floors high. Its design includes a central auditorium surrounded by five wings, giving the structure the appearance of an open hand.
The architectural concept has earned it the name Five Fingers of God, with the central section representing the palm and the five wings extending outwards like fingers.
The main hall is designed without internal supporting columns, providing an uninterrupted view of the worship space. The complex also includes extensive facilities to support large congregations.
Surpassing major churches
The 120,000-seat capacity places the Hand of God Cathedral ahead of other prominent Nigerian worship centres.
These include the 100,000-seat Glory Dome of Dunamis International Gospel Centre in Abuja and The Ark, the massive auditorium being developed by Living Faith Church Worldwide at Canaanland in Ota, Ogun State.
The Ark has a planned capacity of approximately 109,345 worshippers, while the Hand of God Cathedral’s reported figure is about 10,655 seats higher.
The comparison has placed the Port Harcourt facility at the centre of attention in discussions about the world’s largest church auditoriums.
Ibiyeomie explains funding
During the dedication, Ibiyeomie said the cathedral had been completed without bank loans or foreign aid, crediting the contributions of church members and the ministry’s supporters.
The project began when the church was still developing its operations, making the completion a major milestone for the Port Harcourt-based ministry, which was founded in 1997.
Pastor David Ibiyeomie, founder of Salvation Ministries and the man behind the 120,000-seat Hand of God Cathedral in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. PHOTO/Salvation Ministries/Facebook
Following the dedication, Salvation Ministries scheduled its first regular Sunday service at the new cathedral for November 8, 2026.
The opening marks a new chapter for the ministry, providing a much larger worship space for its growing congregation and establishing a major religious landmark in Rivers State.