People group profile · PG013740
The Dirim of Nigeria
The Dirim of Nigeria, numbering about 21,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Chamba people speaking a Daka dialect alongside the related Mapeo, Lamja, and Jaram, settled across Adamawa State's Fufore, Ganye, and Mayo-Belwa areas after historical migrations driven by famine, conflict, and the search for hunting grounds.
They are an indigenous people in the Adamawa-Ubangi people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Dirim.
Fast facts
- Country
- Nigeria
- Population
- 21,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Adamawa-Ubangi
- Primary language
- Dirim (dir)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
- Location
- Taraba: Bali LGA
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dirim 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 Dirim
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
79% adherents
Primary language
Dirim · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Dirim
Gospel resources in Dirim
- Bible available, published 2000
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dirim
- 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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