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People group profile · PG014292

The Northern Kissi of Sierra Leone

The Northern Kissi of Sierra Leone, numbering about 72,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Mel-speaking people whose pre-colonial kingdom centered on the Makona River Basin was incorporated into the British Sierra Leone Protectorate after 1896, historically renowned for ironworking and still known for basket weaving on vertical looms.

They are an indigenous people in the Atlantic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Northern Kissi.

Pray for the Northern KissiPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Sierra Leone
Population
72,500
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Atlantic
Primary language
Northern Kissi (kqs)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
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 Northern Kissi 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 Northern Kissi

  • 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

87% adherents

Primary language

Northern Kissi · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Northern Kissi

Gospel resources in Northern Kissi

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Northern Kissi

  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

Northern Kissi in other countries

The same people is also reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
KissiGuinea653,000No Longer Unreached

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