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People group profile · PG015143

The Teso of Uganda

The Teso of Uganda, numbering about 3,100,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Uganda.

They are an indigenous people in the Nilotic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Neo-Pentecostalism, and they primarily speak Teso.

Pray for the TesoPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Uganda
Population
3,100,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Nilotic
Primary language
Teso (teo)
Primary religion
Neo-Pentecostalism
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
Amuria, Bukedea, Butebo, Kaberamaido, Katakwi, Kumi, Ngora, Pallisa, Serere, Soroti, and Tororo districts; Lake Bisina area

Where they live

Gospel status

The Teso 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 Teso

  • 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

Neo-Pentecostalism · Christianity

Primary language

Teso · Nilotic family

85% speak Teso

Gospel resources in Teso

  • Bible available, published 2019
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Bibles

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

Pray for the Teso

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Teso in other countries

The same people (ROP3 109975) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
TesoKenya486,000No Longer Unreached

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