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People group profile · PG011614

The Shabo of Ethiopia

The Shabo of Ethiopia, numbering about 1,200 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Ethiopia.

They are an indigenous people in the Nilotic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Chabu.

Pray for the ShaboPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
1,200
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Nilotic
Primary language
Chabu (sbf)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
No Evangelicals, Churches or Resources
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa
Location
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Sheka zone; Oromia region: Illubabor zone

Where they live

Gospel status

The Shabo are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, there are no evangelical Christians or churches among this people group and there is no access to evangelical print, audio, visual or human resources.

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

Next steps for the Shabo

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Animism · Ethnoreligion

95% adherents

Primary language

Chabu

60% speak Chabu

Gospel resources in Chabu

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

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

Pray for the Shabo

  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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