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People group profile · PG011971

The Bai of South Sudan

The Bai of South Sudan, numbering about 4,800 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a small Ubangian‑speaking ethnic group living in Western Bahr el Ghazal.

They are an indigenous people in the Adamawa-Ubangi people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Bai (South Sudan).

Pray for the BaiPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
South Sudan
Population
4,800
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Adamawa-Ubangi
Primary language
Bai (South Sudan) (bdj)
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
Also known as
Bari
Region
Northern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Bai 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 Bai

  • 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

60% adherents

Primary language

Bai (South Sudan) · Atlantic-Congo family

85% speak Bai (South Sudan)

Gospel resources in Bai (South Sudan)

  • 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 Bai

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

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