People group profile · PG013835
The Ibani of Nigeria
The Ibani of Nigeria, numbering about 140,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Ijaw people whose ancestors from the Kolokuma area of the Central Niger Delta founded the Bonny Kingdom around 1000 AD, first settling at Orupiri before relocating to Okoloama, with European traders later anglicizing their name Ibani into Bonny.
They are an indigenous people in the Ijaw people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Ibani.
Fast facts
- Country
- Nigeria
- Population
- 140,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Ijaw
- Primary language
- Ibani (iby)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- 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 Ibani 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 Ibani
- 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
Protestantism · Christianity
65% adherents
Primary language
Ibani · Ijoid family
100% speak Ibani
Gospel resources in Ibani
- Bible available, published 1985
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Ibani
- 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.
- 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.
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