People group profile · PG011469
The Yerwa Kanuri of Chad
The Yerwa Kanuri of Chad, numbering about 292,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Kanuri ethnic group indigenous to the Borno and Yobe states of northeastern Nigeria.
They are a diaspora people in the Kanuri-Saharan people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Central Kanuri.

Fast facts
- Country
- Chad
- Population
- 292,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Kanuri-Saharan
- Primary language
- Central Kanuri (knc)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Middle Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Yerwa Kanuri are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Yerwa Kanuri
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Folk Islam · Islam
90% adherents
Primary language
Central Kanuri · Saharan family
100% speak Central Kanuri
Gospel resources in Central Kanuri
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Kanuri, Yerwa)
Bibles
- 1997 Bible Society of Nigeria · audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Yerwa Kanuri
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
Kanuri, Yerwa in other countries
The same people (ROP3 104605) is reported in 4 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yerwa Kanuri | Nigeria | 8,745,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Kanuri | Sudan | 497,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Yerwa Kanuri | Niger | 238,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Yerwa Kanuri | Cameroon | 191,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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