People group profile · PG012579
The Duala of Cameroon
The Duala of Cameroon, numbering about 296,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu trading people of Cameroon's Wouri River estuary descended by tradition from an ancestor named Mbedi, who rose to dominate coastal trade with European ships by the 16th century and governed through the Ngondo council of elders.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Northwest people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Duala.

Fast facts
- Country
- Cameroon
- Population
- 296,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Northwest
- Primary language
- Duala (dua)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Middle Africa, Africa
- Location
- Littoral region: Nkam Division, toward Yabassi and along Wouri River; Moungo Division, Dibombari area; Wouri Division, Cameroon estuary area; South West Province, Fako Division, both sides of Mungo River
Where they live
Gospel status
The Duala 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 Duala
- 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
Protestantism · Christianity
Primary language
Duala · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Duala
Gospel resources in Duala
- Bible available, published 1970
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Duala)
Bibles
- 2006 Bible Society of Cameroon · audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Duala
- 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.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.