Nigeria Mourns as Renowned Evangelist Rev. Uma Ukpai Dies at 80
Nigeria’s Christian community has been thrown into mourning following the death of renowned evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA), Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, who passed on to glory at the age of 80.
The announcement was made on his official Instagram page, @Uma_Ukpai, on Monday, confirming that the revered preacher died on October 6, 2025.
In a heartfelt statement titled “With hearts full of gratitude, we celebrate the triumphant homegoing of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai,” the family expressed gratitude to God for a life marked by impact, faith and service to humanity.
The post read:
“With hearts full of gratitude, we celebrate the triumphant homegoing of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, who passed on to glory on October 6, 2025, at the age of 80. A faithful soldier of the cross has been called to rest.
Dedicating over six decades of his life to fiery evangelism, dynamic teaching of the Word and prophetic demonstrations of the power of God, he impacted millions of lives and transformed destinies within Nigeria and across the globe.
He was a spiritual general known for evangelism, a founding father of faith, loving husband, devoted father and mentor to many, and his life was a testament to God’s power and love.
While we mourn his physical absence, we rejoice that he has finished his race and is now resting in eternal praise. Details of the obsequies will be announced in due course by the family.
We are grateful to God for his extraordinary life and enduring legacy.
For indeed, ‘to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’ Phil 1:21.”
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Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai’s ministry, known for its non-denominational outreach, was headquartered in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and became a global platform for evangelism, healing, and faith-based empowerment.
Over the years, the fiery preacher led crusades across continents, preaching salvation and divine healing, while also contributing to humanitarian causes such as free surgeries and eye care for the less privileged through the Uma Ukpai Medical Outreach
He is survived by his wife, children and numerous spiritual protégés, many of whom have continued to testify to his mentorship and enduring influence in the Christian faith.
Tributes have continued to pour in from across Nigeria and beyond, with Christian leaders describing his passing as “a great loss to the body of Christ.”
