Popular Nigerian media personality, actress, author and lifestyle vlogger Toke Makinwa has publicly declared that she no longer pays her regular monthly tithe to any church, choosing instead to channel the money directly to charitable causes such as hospitals, widows’ homes and individuals in immediate need.
In a candid video posted on her YouTube channel (which has over 1.2 million subscribers), Toke explained the personal decision, which she said came after deep reflection on the financial state of many Nigerian churches.
“I kind of stopped paying tithe to the church because all the churches I know are rich. And I decided that no, no, no, no, I ain’t doing this anymore. I would rather go to hospitals, widows’ homes,” she stated.
Toke went further, criticising the practice of repeated building funds and the tax-exempt status of churches, describing some aspects of modern church operations as “a business.”
“All the churches I know are rich. Every Sunday, there’s a building fund envelope. You guys have so much money, and it’s not taxed. It’s a business, if I’m going to be real, because if that pastor dies today, either his wife or his child becomes the next pastor,” she added.
Despite the strong comments, the 39-year-old clarified that she has not abandoned giving altogether. She continues to give offerings during services and supports specific church programmes when she feels led to do so. What has changed is the regular, automatic 10% tithe paid directly to religious institutions.
Instead, she now tithes directly to people and institutions she can personally verify are in need.
“I would rather go to hospitals, take a maternity ward, and pay all the bills there. I would rather when strangers come to meet me, I would tithe my tithe to them because they are telling me their actual needs,” she explained.
Toke also questioned the logic of giving to already wealthy churches while people around her struggle: “How can I say I love God? I have the money this person is looking for to pay rent, and I’m carrying it to a church?”
She reflected on her own past generosity, revealing that ten years ago she once gave an entire brand endorsement fee as tithe.
“Ten years ago, I was the girl who got a brand endorsement deal, didn’t touch one naira and carried everything to church. I said I will tithe this to God so that my life will never be tight,” she recalled.
The video, posted on Monday, February 16, 2026, quickly went viral, amassing hundreds of thousands of views within hours and sparking intense debate across social media platforms.
Many Nigerians applauded Toke’s honesty and her shift toward direct impact giving, with several commenting that they had made similar personal decisions. Others defended traditional tithing, arguing that it is a biblical principle regardless of a church’s wealth and that churches use tithe for humanitarian work, schools, hospitals and community projects.
Toke Makinwa rose to fame through her popular radio and television shows, including “The Toke Makinwa Show” on Rhythm 93.7 FM and later on YouTube. She is also an author, having published “On Becoming” in 2016, and has built a strong personal brand around faith, relationships, career and lifestyle.
Her decision comes amid growing public scrutiny of the opulent lifestyles of some Nigerian pastors and the multibillion-naira empires of megachurches, many of which operate private jets, universities, real estate developments and media empires.
While tithing remains a deeply held practice for millions of Nigerian Christians, conversations about accountability, transparency and the priority of direct charity have gained momentum in recent years, especially among younger believers.
Toke’s revelation is the latest high-profile example of a celebrity openly questioning long-standing religious financial practices while still affirming personal faith and commitment to giving.
She ended the video by encouraging her followers to pray about their own giving decisions and to give where they feel the impact is greatest.
The full video is available on Toke Makinwa’s YouTube channel under the title “Why I Stopped Paying Tithe” and continues to generate comments and shares as of Tuesday morning.
