People group profile · PG015127
The Nyoro of Uganda
The Nyoro of Uganda, numbering about 1,465,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu people of western Uganda descended from the Babiito dynasty that founded the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom after the fall of the earlier Kitara empire, once among Central Africa's most powerful states before its 1890s defeat by the British.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Lakes people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Nyoro.

Fast facts
- Country
- Uganda
- Population
- 1,465,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Lakes
- Primary language
- Nyoro (nyo)
- Primary religion
- Roman Catholicism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Buliisa, Hoima, Kibaale, Kiryandongo, and Masindi districts; also Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, and Kyenjojo districts east of Lake Albert
Where they live
Gospel status
The Nyoro 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 Nyoro
- 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
Roman Catholicism · Christianity
93% adherents
Primary language
Nyoro · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Nyoro
Gospel resources in Nyoro
- Bible available, published 2009
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Runyoro)
Bibles
- 2008 Bible Society of Uganda · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Nyoro
- 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.
- 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.
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