People group profile · PG013616
The Zerma of Niger
The Zerma of Niger, numbering about 5,180,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Songhai-speaking people of the Niger River valley around Niamey descended from Za dynasty survivors after the Songhai Empire's founding conquest, farming millet, sorghum, and rice as Maliki-Sunni Muslims.
They are an indigenous people in the Songhai people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Zarma.
Fast facts
- Country
- Niger
- Population
- 5,180,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Songhai
- Primary language
- Zarma (dje)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Zerma 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 Zerma
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
95% adherents
Primary language
Zarma · Songhay family
100% speak Zarma
Gospel resources in Zarma
- Bible available, published 1990
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Zarma)
Bibles
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Zerma
- 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.
- 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.
Zerma in other countries
The same people (ROP3 111171) is reported in 3 other countries.
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