People group profile · PG013311
The Dza of Nigeria
The Dza of Nigeria, numbering about 135,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Jenjo people, called Dza after their language, numbering around 100,000 along the Benue River's north bank where Taraba, Gombe, and Adamawa states meet, whose speakers only developed a standard writing system for their language in 2008.
They are an indigenous people in the Adamawa-Ubangi people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Dza.
Fast facts
- Country
- Nigeria
- Population
- 135,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Adamawa-Ubangi
- Primary language
- Dza (jen)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- 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 ?
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
- Location
- Adamawa: Lamurde and Numan LGAs; Gombe: Balanga LGA; Taraba: Ardokola, Gassol, Ibi, Jalingo, Karim Lamido, and Lau LGAs; main town is Dza by Benue river
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dza 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 Dza
- 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
55% adherents
Primary language
Dza · Atlantic-Congo family
58% speak Dza
Gospel resources in Dza
- Bible available, published -
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Jenjo)
Bibles
- Ndɛ̃ ahu və Fi be Ngwa Idzə · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dza
- 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.
- 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.
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