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People group profile · PG014084

The Pongu of Nigeria

The Pongu of Nigeria, numbering about 57,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a small Indigenous ethnic group of north‑central 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 Pangu.

Pray for the PonguPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Nigeria
Population
57,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Benue
Primary language
Pangu (png)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Western Africa, Africa
Location
primarily in Niger State, north‑central Nigeria

Where they live

Gospel status

The Pongu 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 Pongu

  • 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

60% adherents

Primary language

Pangu · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Pangu

Gospel resources in Pangu

  • Bible available, published 2017
  • 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 Pongu

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

Download a prayer guide

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