People group profile · PG012884
The South Central Banda of Central African Republic
The South Central Banda of Central African Republic, numbering about 288,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a regional branch of the Banda, Central Africa's largest ethnic group, organized into patrilineal hamlets under local headmen and growing maize, cassava, groundnuts, and yams despite historic devastation from nineteenth-century slave raiding.
They are an indigenous people in the Adamawa-Ubangi people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Neo-Pentecostalism, and they primarily speak South Central Banda.

Fast facts
- Country
- Central African Republic
- Population
- 288,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Adamawa-Ubangi
- Primary language
- South Central Banda (lnl)
- Primary religion
- Neo-Pentecostalism
- 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
Where they live
Gospel status
The South Central Banda 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 South Central Banda
- 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
Neo-Pentecostalism · Christianity
Primary language
South Central Banda · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak South Central Banda
Gospel resources in South Central Banda
- Bible available, published 2020
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Ngbugu)
Bibles
- 2020 ACATBA · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the South Central Banda
- 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.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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