Background: Contemporary Africa exhibits exceptional religious participation rates exceeding 80% in most countries, with religious institutions commanding substantial household resources and social influence, yet the continent continues facing persistent development challenges including poverty, limited innovation, and capital scarcity. Objective: This study examined the "Mbitian Paradox"—the phenomenon whereby religious notoriety simultaneously functions as community sustenance and potential socioeconomic stagnation in contemporary African contexts. Methods: A mixed-methods design was employed across five African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal) involving 2,850 household respondents recruited through multistage stratified random sampling, alongside 75 key informant interviews and 30 focus group discussions conducted between March and September 2024. Structured questionnaires captured religious participation intensity, household resource allocation patterns, socioeconomic indicators, and attitudinal measures. Statistical analysis included univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine relationships between religious notoriety as a latent construct and both sustenance dimensions (social capital, psychological wellbeing, service access) and stagnation indicators (education investment, productive investment, innovation orientation). Qualitative data were analyzed thematically to provide contextual interpretation. Results: Religious expenditure averaged 18.7% of household income, exceeding education spending (12.3%) and savings (8.9%), with 61.3% of respondents classified as highly religious. Bivariate analysis revealed strong positive correlations between religious participation and social capital (r=0.56, p