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People group profile · PG013259

The Akyem of Ghana

The Akyem of Ghana, numbering about 1,070,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Akan people whose name derives from Okyem, meaning leopard, tracing origin to Adanse before founding Akyem Abuakwa by the 1500s, which dominated the gold-rich Birim River trade before wars with the Akwamu and Asante split Akyem into three states.

They are an indigenous people in the Guinean people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Neo-Pentecostalism, and they primarily speak Akan.

Pray for the AkyemPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ghana
Population
1,070,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Guinean
Primary language
Akan (aka)
Primary religion
Neo-Pentecostalism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Western Africa, Africa
Location
Widespread

Where they live

Gospel status

The Akyem are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Akyem

  • 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

Neo-Pentecostalism · Christianity

Primary language

Akan · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Akan

Gospel resources in Akan

  • Bible available, published 1964
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Akyem

  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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