People group profile · PG014203
The Zari of Nigeria
The Zari of Nigeria, numbering about 41,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a nearly extinct West Chadic people of Nigeria's Bauchi area whose Zari language died out around 2000, leaving the community fully shifted to Hausa as their daily tongue while retaining a distinct ethnic identity.
They are an indigenous people in the Chadic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Hausa.
Fast facts
- Country
- Nigeria
- Population
- 41,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Chadic
- Primary language
- Hausa (hau)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- 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 Zari 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 Zari
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
60% adherents
Primary language
Hausa · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Hausa
Gospel resources in Hausa
- Bible available, published 2020
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Hausa)
- Magdalena (Hausa)
- The Savior (Hausa)
Bibles
- 1979 Bible Society of Nigeria · audio
- Common Language Version (FCBH Audio) · video, audio
- Littafi Mai Tsarki · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Zari
- 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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