Faith and Academic Performance Among Christian Students at University of Maiduguri

The University of Maiduguri in Borno State, located in the North East geopolitical zone and situated in a context of ongoing security challenges from insurgency, provides a distinctive setting for examining the relationship between Christian faith practice and academic performance under conditions of stress and social disruption. This study investigates how faith commitment, prayer habits, and church involvement relate to academic performance among Christian students at the University of Maiduguri. A descriptive correlational design was adopted, with questionnaires administered to 180 Christian students from various faculties. Academic performance was measured using Cumulative Grade Point Average, and faith practices were assessed through validated scales for intrinsic religious motivation, prayer frequency, and church attendance. Findings indicate a significant positive relationship between intrinsic faith commitment and CGPA (r = 0.38, p < 0.01). Prayer frequency is the strongest individual faith practice predictor of academic performance, attributed to its role in stress management and cognitive clarity. Students who participate in campus Christian fellowship groups report significantly higher academic resilience during insecurity-related disruptions. The study concludes that Christian faith practice provides meaningful psychological and academic support for students in conflict-affected academic environments. It recommends that the University of Maiduguri facilitate and support campus Christian fellowship activities as a component of its student support and retention strategy. Keywords: faith and academic performance, Christian students, University of Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, academic resilience