Religion in Mali

The 2022 RGPH5 counted 21,347,587 residents in Mali. Muslims represented 96.45% of the population, Christians 2.27%, animists 0.65%, people without a religion 0.50% and other religions 0.13%. Islam is predominantly Sunni, with a strong Sufi presence and a smaller Shia community. Religious practice can also combine Islamic or Christian observance with local beliefs. The balance varies by area: the Muslim share was 70.10% in San and 99.80% in Taoudéni, while the Christian share reached 16.99% in San and 5.99% in Bandiagara. The Constitution of 2023 protects freedom of thought, conscience, religion and worship, prohibits religious discrimination and guarantees respect for all religions and beliefs. Mali is secular, and religious practice remains subject to the law and public order. The Ministère des Affaires religieuses, du Culte et des Coutumes, known as MARCC, handles religious freedom, religious education, sermons, religious institutions, places of worship, associations, pilgrimages, festivals, charitable activities and relations with religious organizations. The Direction nationale des Affaires religieuses et du Culte and local services such as DRARC, SLARC and SARC support files, inventories, religious events and local coordination. The Haut Conseil Islamique is a major Muslim platform, while Catholic and Protestant churches provide Christian worship and community services. Mosques and churches host worship and sermons. Ramadan fasting, Maouloud, Tabaski, Christian services and local religious ceremonies are common forms of observance. The Maison du Hadj and authorized agencies organize and supervise the pilgrimage to Mecca within the applicable quota; fees and local deadlines can vary. Security conditions in parts of northern and central Mali can restrict access to worship and expose believers or religious minorities to threats from extremist groups. The public education system is compulsory, free and secular. Recognized private schools also operate. Madrasas are formal educational institutions with official programs, common examinations and supervision by the Ministry of Education. Quranic schools follow a non-formal or informal religious pathway organized locally, and their current access, fees and national registration arrangements are not established uniformly. Poverty and insecurity affect access to education in some areas. Mali recognizes a religious marriage ceremony before a minister of religion, but the ceremony does not replace civil-status registration. Publication takes place for 15 days at the place of worship, the ceremony produces four original documents, and the minister transmits the record to the civil-status officer within 15 days. The marriage must then be registered and entered in the family record, alongside the general legal conditions and prohibitions. Baptisms, funerals and other ceremonies remain community practices without one national religious rite. Religious holidays include Christmas, Maouloud, the Festival of Ramadan, Tabaski and Easter Monday under Law 05-040. These holidays are public holidays with the applicable paid-leave rules; Islamic dates follow the lunar calendar, and an additional following weekday can sometimes be declared a holiday. In 2026, the State, religious confessions and religious associations also developed a dialogue framework focused on peace, stability and social cohesion. MARCC, the Haut Conseil Islamique and Catholic and Protestant representatives support guidance against extremist preaching, while imam training has included cooperation with Morocco.