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People group profile · PG010142

The Loko of Papua New Guinea

The Loko of Papua New Guinea, numbering about 12,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an indigenous ethnic group of Papua New Guinea, West New Britain, southwest coast and inland, Johanna River to Anu River.

They are an indigenous people in the New Guinea people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Gimi (West New Britain).

Pray for the LokoPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Loko people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Loko

Fast facts

Country
Papua New Guinea
Population
12,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Gimi (West New Britain) (gip)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
20% or Greater but Less than 30%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
Melanesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

The Loko are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Loko

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Protestantism · Christianity

35% adherents

Primary language

Gimi (West New Britain) · Austronesian family

100% speak Gimi (West New Britain)

Gospel resources in Gimi (West New Britain)

  • Bible available, published 2000
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Loko

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

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