Integrity Journal of Arts and Humanities

Religious institutions are important actors in peacebuilding in conflict-affected communities, but their contribution can be shaped by the wider social and political environment. This study examined respondents’ perceptions of the role of religion in resolving post-conflict disputes, the perceived adequacy of religious and other peace-building actors, and the challenges confronting peacebuilding in Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas, Plateau State, Nigeria. A survey was conducted, involving 400 participants. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 27.0. Of 378 respondents who answered the item on religion, 64.29% described its influence as positive, while 17.20% reported a negative influence. Religious leaders were rated very adequate by 48.14% of 376 respondents and adequate by a further 23.14%; their mean score was 3.91, the highest among the actors assessed. However, poverty (96.25%) and religious intolerance (94.25%) were frequently identified as challenges, alongside limited economic opportunities and unequal political representation. The findings suggest that religion is perceived as a potentially constructive but not uniformly positive resource for peacebuilding. Its contribution is likely to be stronger when religious actors cooperate with public and community institutions and address wider socioeconomic and governance-related grievances.