People group profile · PG013857
The Irigwe of Nigeria
The Irigwe of Nigeria, numbering about 97,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Nigeria.
They are an indigenous people in the Benue people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Rigwe.

Fast facts
- Country
- Nigeria
- Population
- 97,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Benue
- Primary language
- Rigwe (iri)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- 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
Where they live
Gospel status
The Irigwe 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 Irigwe
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
65% adherents
Primary language
Rigwe · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Rigwe
Gospel resources in Rigwe
- Bible available, published 2015
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Rigwe)
Bibles
- Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. and The Nigeria Bible Translation Trust 2012 · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Irigwe
- 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.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
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