Unusual Praise, which began as a parish-based worship programme, is targeting more than 80,000 worshippers for its 2026 Lagos edition as organisers seek to deepen its reach and impact across Nigeria.

The organisers disclosed this at the Unusual Praise Gala Night in Lagos, where they also called for greater support from corporate organisations, individuals and other stakeholders to sustain the growing movement.

Chairman of Unusual Praise 2026, Ike Chioke, said the programme had evolved beyond an annual worship gathering into a broader movement focused on faith, evangelisation, community development and empowerment.

Chioke said the initiative, which started in 2016 as an outpost of the harvest celebration at Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki, had grown beyond the expectations of its founders.

“It is a movement of faith, transformation, empowerment and community development,” he said, stressing that its impact was increasingly extending beyond worship to the creation of opportunities for young people.

According to him, the Unusual Entrepreneur initiative has supported young people in various vocational areas, with the broader objective of helping beneficiaries build livelihoods and create opportunities for others.

Vice Chairperson of Unusual Praise, Tina Oruche, said the Lagos event was expected to attract more than 80,000 people, compared with over 40,000 recorded last year.

She said the organisers were not only interested in increasing attendance but also in expanding the spiritual and entrepreneurial impact of the programme.

“We are not just excited about the turnout, we are excited about the spiritual impact and the entrepreneurial impact we are leaving in the lives of people, in Nigeria especially,” Oruche said.

Executive Secretary of Unusual Praise 2026, Njideka Jack, said the organisation had also strengthened its process for selecting beneficiaries of its empowerment programme, with applicants subjected to vetting and business and spiritual development before funding.

She said the organisers continued to engage beneficiaries after funding to monitor the growth of their businesses.

Jack said the number of people empowered each year was dependent on funds raised for the programme, making continued support critical to expanding its reach.

Unusual Praise 2026 will hold in Onitsha on November 6 and Lagos on December 11 under the theme, “Declare His Glory Among the Nations.” The programme is expected to feature leading gospel ministers, including Bidemi Olaoba, Moses Bliss, Sunmisola Agbebi and Peterson Okopi, Chinyere Udoma, Beejay Sax and Mr. M & Revelation, among others.