People group profile · PG012530
The Bana of Cameroon
The Bana of Cameroon, numbering about 37,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Mandara Mountains people of Cameroon's Far North region, among the wealthiest farmers of the range, whose ancestors found refuge there from fifteenth-century slave raids driven by the expanding Islamic empires of Borno, Bagirmi, and Wandala.
They are an indigenous people in the Chadic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Bana.

Fast facts
- Country
- Cameroon
- Population
- 37,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Chadic
- Primary language
- Bana (bcw)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC ?
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority ?
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- Middle Africa, Africa
- Location
- Far North region: Mayo-Tsanaga division, Bourrah subdivision on Nigeria border
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bana are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Bana
- 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
88% adherents
Primary language
Bana · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Bana
Gospel resources in Bana
- Bible available, published 2019
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 2005 Wycliffe Bible Translators Inc. · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bana
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.