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People group profile · PG022524

The Ogan of Indonesia

The Ogan of Indonesia, numbering about 169,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a South Sumatran Malay people of the Ogan River basin whose identity is rooted in river-centered communities, a distinct Ogan language tradition, and longstanding cultural ties with neighboring Musi and other inland Malay peoples.

They are an indigenous people in the Ogan of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Central Malay.

Pray for the OganPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Ogan people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Ogan

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
169,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Ogan of Sumatra
Primary language
Central Malay (pse)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Bengkulu province: central Bukit Barisan highlands west to Indian Ocean along Bengkulu coast; Lampung province; South Sumatra province: Lematang and Ogan river valleys

Where they live

Gospel status

The Ogan 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Ogan

  • 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

Sunni Islam · Islam

99% adherents

Primary language

Central Malay · Austronesian family

80% speak Central Malay

Gospel resources in Central Malay

  • Bible available, published 1995
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Ogan

  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

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