The Egbira of Nigeria

The Egbira of Nigeria, numbering approximately 2,395,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an agrarian Nupoid people of Kogi State who trace their descent to the Kwararafa confederation at Wukari, migrating out around 1680 AD after a chieftaincy dispute, with deeper roots tied to Central Nigeria's ancient Nok Iron Age culture. They mostly adhere to Ethnoreligion and Ebira is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Egbira

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Nigeria
People Cluster: Benue
Primary Language(s): Ebira (igb)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 2,395,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG013314
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Egbira of Nigeria

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Ethnoreligion
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

—
%
Ethnoreligion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Ebira
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Ebira Speakers

Media Resources in Ebira:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Ebira:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
1981 Bible Society of Nigeria✓

1 entry

Or check out the Ebira bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Egbira are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Egbira:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Egbira of Nigeria

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
readRevelation 3:20

Pray that those who have not opened their hearts to Jesus will hear His knock and invite Him in as their Savior and Lord.

If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
readPsalm 139:8

Pray that the lost will recognize God's presence with them wherever they go, put their faith in Christ, and seek to live in a way that honors and glorifies Him.

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
read2 Corinthians 12:28

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will grow in the spiritual gifts God has given them and use these gifts to glorify Him and build up the Church.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
readIsaiah 43:19

Praise the God who is able to make a way forward, even when it seems impossible. Ask Him to do a new thing among this people group specifically and among the nations, raising up believers to go and share the gospel with individuals and places where it has not flourished before.

Igbirra Across Countries (ROP3 - 103962) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

Scroll to Top