Gospel singer and pastor, Nathaniel Bassey, has revealed that he will mark his 44th birthday with inmates at the Kirikiri Medium Security Prison in Lagos, leading a special one-day edition of his widely followed Hallelujah Challenge inside the correctional facility.
Announcing the plan on Instagram, Bassey wrote: “Tomorrow, for my birthday, I praise and celebrate with my brethren in prison.”
The worship session is expected to feature prayer, praise, and testimonies, adapted to the prison setting in collaboration with authorities.
The Hallelujah Challenge, launched in 2017, has grown into one of Africa’s largest online prayer and worship movements. For an hour each night, during designated seasons, hundreds of thousands of participants join live streams for praise, intercession, and testimonies that followers say include healing and deliverance.
Bassey has long framed the Challenge as an open invitation rather than a spiritual litmus test. In 2023, he clarified that not participating “does not make you less Christian,” a stance that underlined the movement’s inclusive ethos and helped broaden its appeal beyond denominational and geographic lines.
His ministry has also been marked by high-profile moments on the global stage. He ministered at a United States presidential prayer breakfast, drawing international attention to Nigerian gospel worship and expanding his audience among diaspora communities and international churches.
At home, Bassey’s profile has remained prominent. In early 2025, streaming charts and industry round-ups placed him alongside leading Nigerian gospel voices, reflecting strong digital engagement with his catalogue and live worship content.
The consistency of that audience has often translated into large, coordinated online gatherings whenever the Hallelujah Challenge is convened.
The Kirikiri outreach aligns with Bassey’s emphasis on compassion-driven ministry and taking worship beyond traditional venues. Supporters describe the plan as a practical expression of Christian service, aimed at offering hope, dignity, and spiritual encouragement to people in confinement.
It also comes after a period in which the singer has guarded his public reputation. In 2024, he petitioned the Inspector General of Police over online allegations linking him to fellow gospel singer Mercy Chinwo’s child, an episode he addressed through legal and institutional channels while maintaining focus on ministry activities.
By staging a “Kirikiri edition” of the Hallelujah Challenge, Bassey signals that the worship movement’s core idea, praise in any season, from any location, can be contextualised for audiences who are often overlooked. Organisers expect a compact programme that respects security protocols while preserving the spontaneity that has defined the online sessions.
Prison ministry advocates say such visits can provide emotional relief, community connection, and pathways for post-release support when coordinated with chaplaincy and rehabilitation services. While outcomes vary, they argue that regular spiritual engagement can contribute to a healthier prison environment.
For Bassey, the birthday worship plan is part celebration, part statement of intent: that worship is not bound by walls, and that the language of praise can meet people where they are.
