People group profile · PG014104
The Shanga of Nigeria
The Shanga of Nigeria, numbering about 30,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Mande-speaking people of the Niger River region in northwestern Nigeria whose origins are linked to communities of the former Songhai Empire and whose identity has been shaped by migration, riverine settlement, and interaction with Hausa neighbors.
They are an indigenous people in the Mande people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Shanga.
Fast facts
- Country
- Nigeria
- Population
- 30,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Mande
- Primary language
- Shanga (sho)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Shanga are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Shanga
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Folk Islam · Islam
92% adherents
Primary language
Shanga · Mande family
27% speak Shanga
Gospel resources in Shanga
- Bible available, published 2017
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- SIM Nigeria · audio
- SIM Nigeria 2017 · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Shanga
- 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.
- 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.
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