The Ikoma of Tanzania

The Ikoma of Tanzania, numbering approximately 65,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu people of Tanzania's western Serengeti in Mara Region, living between Lake Victoria and Serengeti National Park and closely associated with neighboring Nata, Isenye, and Ngoreme communities. They mostly adhere to Roman Catholicism and Ikoma-Nata-Isenye is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Tanzania
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-Lakes
Primary Language(s): Ikoma-Nata-Isenye (ntk)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 65,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG014946
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Ikoma of Tanzania

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: Roman Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

80%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Ikoma-Nata-Isenye
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

58%
%
Ikoma-Nata-Isenye Speakers

Media Resources in Ikoma-Nata-Isenye:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Ikoma-Nata-Isenye:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc.✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Ikoma-Nata-Isenye bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Ikoma are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Ikoma:
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

Pray specifically for the Ikoma of Tanzania

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
readMatthew 9:36

Pray that those who have no hope and are in need of a Savior will be comforted by the Good Shepherd, who seeks to gather the lost and weary into His care.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
readPsalm 34:4

Pray for each who becomes a child of God to share the hope of eternity with family and friends.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.
readPsalm 130:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will wait on the Lord and have patience and trust, knowing His ways and His timing are always perfect.

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
readMatthew 10:14-15

Pray for God to raise up and send out believers to share the gospel with those in this people group who do not yet follow Christ. Pray that they will be welcomed with open arms so that the people they share with will hear and receive the good news with joy.

Ikoma Across Countries (ROP3 - 103977) 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.

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