Nigeria has once again earned a place in the upper echelons of the Vatican’s leadership structure. Pope Leo XIV has appointed Edward Daniang Daleng, a Nigerian priest of the Order of St. Augustine (OSA), as Vice-Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, one of the Vatican’s most influential administrative offices.
The announcement places Daleng in the second-highest position within the department responsible for coordinating papal audiences, official visits, liturgical ceremonies, and internal Vatican logistics. The role effectively situates him close to the day-to-day workings of the Pope himself, a rare distinction for any African cleric.
The Prefecture of the Papal Household oversees the Pope’s public and private engagements, manages visits of heads of state, and coordinates the internal movement of Vatican officials. It is a post that blends diplomacy, organization, and discretion, and Daleng’s selection is widely seen as a sign of the Pope’s growing confidence in African clergy.
In appointing him, Pope Leo XIV appears to continue the Vatican’s gradual effort to globalize its leadership base. The move also underscores the Catholic Church’s recognition of Africa’s fast-growing influence within global Christianity. Nigeria, for instance, has one of the largest Catholic populations in the world, with strong participation in education, healthcare, and social welfare.
A Nigerian voice in Rome
Born April 4, 1977, in Yitla’ar, Kwalla, Plateau State, Daleng joined the Augustinian Order in 2001 and was ordained a priest four years later. His intellectual formation includes a doctorate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome, where his research focused on “Respect for the Dignity and Care of Patients with Incurable and Terminal Illnesses.”
Before his new appointment, Daleng served as the Procurator General of the Augustinians — Pope Leo’s religious order. The role also positioned him as the order’s liaison with the Holy See, an experience that clearly prepared him for Vatican administration. Colleagues describe him as meticulous and diplomatic, known for balancing theological depth with practical governance.
His elevation brings both pride and opportunity for Nigeria’s Catholic community. The country has long produced influential clergy, from Cardinal John Onaiyekan to Bishop Matthew Kukahbut Daleng’s role places a Nigerian directly inside the Vatican’s decision-making machinery.
Why this matters for Nigeria
Though primarily an ecclesiastical appointment, the implications extend beyond the Church. The Vatican remains a global soft-power institution with diplomatic, cultural, and financial reach. Having a Nigerian in a senior curial position could open new channels of collaboration in education, healthcare, and faith-based diplomacy.
As African Catholics increasingly shape global Christianity, Daleng’s presence at the Vatican symbolizes a shift from the margins to the center. The demographic balance of the Church is moving decisively toward the Global South, and the Vatican’s appointments appear to reflect that new reality.
Pope Leo has visited Nigeria at least 10 times, as the prior general of the Augustinians. which gave Daleng the opportunity to meet him for the first of many in 2001. After moving to Rome in 2002, Daleng got to know Prevost even better.
Speaking to Vatican News after the election of Pope Leo XIV, Daleng said “To understand how much my country mattered to him, just remember that after becoming prior general on his 46th birthday, Sept. 14, he was already with us in Nigeria by November.”
