People group profile · PG012081
The Lingala of South Sudan
The Lingala of South Sudan, numbering about 49,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Lingala-speaking community in South Sudan, largely linked to Congolese migration, that preserves the language and cultural traditions of the Congo River region.
They are a diaspora people in the Bantu, Central-Congo people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Lingala.

Fast facts
- Country
- South Sudan
- Population
- 49,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Congo
- Primary language
- Lingala (lin)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Northern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Lingala 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, 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Lingala
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
Primary language
Lingala · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Lingala
Gospel resources in Lingala
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 1982 Boyokant Ya Sika · audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Lingala
- 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.
- 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.
Lingala in other countries
The same people (ROP3 105785) is reported in 8 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lingala | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 4,300,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Lingala | Angola | 200,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Lingala | Congo | 189,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Congolese | United States | 38,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Congolese | Uganda | 27,500 | No Longer Unreached |
| Lingala | Central African Republic | 19,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Congolese | Belgium | 15,500 | No Longer Unreached |
| Lingala | Canada | 3,500 | No Longer Unreached |
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