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People group profile · PG013736

The Dera of Nigeria

The Dera of Nigeria, numbering about 73,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Nigeria, Adamawa state, Guyuk LGA; Borno state, Biu LGA.

They are an indigenous people in the Chadic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Dera (Nigeria).

Pray for the DeraPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Nigeria
Population
73,500
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Chadic
Primary language
Dera (Nigeria) (kna)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC ?
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Western Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

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

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

Next steps for the Dera

  • 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

Ethnoreligion

71% adherents

Primary language

Dera (Nigeria) · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Dera (Nigeria)

Gospel resources in Dera (Nigeria)

  • Bible available, published 1937
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

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

Pray for the Dera

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

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