The Kono of Nigeria

The Kono of Nigeria, numbering approximately 11,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an indigenous Kainji people of Kaduna State whose homeland centers on Kono village in the Lere-Saminaka area and who are also known as Koonu or Kwono. They mostly adhere to Neo-Pentecostalism and Kono (Nigeria) is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Nigeria
People Cluster: Mande
Primary Language(s): Kono (Nigeria) (klk)
Primary Religion(s): Neo-Pentecostalism
Population: 11,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 10% or Greater Evangelical
People Group ID: PG013929
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Kono 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: Neo-Pentecostalism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

60%
%
Neo-Pentecostalism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Kono (Nigeria)
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Kono (Nigeria) Speakers

Media Resources in Kono (Nigeria):

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Kono (Nigeria):

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Kono (Nigeria) bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Kono 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 Kono:
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 Kono of Nigeria

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
readRomans 1:20

As God's creation declares His glory, pray that multitudes who don't know Him will see the works of His hands and desire to know more about the Creator.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
readRomans 5:10

Pray that God will remove obstacles to the gospel so that many will see the hope He offers through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, and be transformed from being enemies to being His friends.

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
readPsalm 127:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will build their homes in the Lord and raise their children to know and honor Him.

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
readJohn 7:38

Ask God to raise up believers and sustain them as they cross cultures to share hope with those who need it. Pray that many might come to know Christ and that streams of living water will flow from their hearts so they will never thirst again.

Kono, Kwono Across Countries (ROP3 - 105195) 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.

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