Maninka of Senegal (PGID: PG014251)

The Maninka of Senegal

The Maninka of Senegal, numbering approximately 681,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Manding people of southeastern Senegal with roots in the historic Manden heartland of the Mali Empire, whose communities preserve strong farming and oral-history traditions. They mostly adhere to Folk Islam and Western Maninkakan is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Senegal
People Cluster: Malinke
Primary Language(s): Western Maninkakan (mlq)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Islam
Population: 681,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG014251
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Pray for the Maninka of Senegal

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Folk Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

99%

Folk Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Western Maninkakan
Language Family: Mande

100%

Maninkakan, Western Speakers

Media Resources in Western Maninkakan:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film

1 film

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

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Bible Resources in Western Maninkakan:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Western Maninkakan bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

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SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Maninka 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 Maninka:

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 Maninka of Senegal

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
John 11:25

Pray for the many who have never heard about or understood the importance of what Jesus did for them, asking God to make a way for them to hear that the perfect Son of Man suffered, died, and rose again so that they might be saved.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Psalm 96:8

Pray for people here to humbly give God the glory due His name.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrew 4:16

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will boldly draw near to God as they approach Him in prayer, receive His mercy, and find grace for help in their time of need.

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Psalm 105:1

Pray that many among them will call on the name of Jesus, develop a heart for the nations, and go to places where the gospel has not yet been received.

Maninka, Western Across Countries (ROP3 - 106266) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

4 people groups

People Group ID	Name	Country	Population ▼	Strategic Progress Index	Language	Religion
PG013557	Maninka	Mali	777,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Western Maninkakan	Sunni Islam
PG014251	Maninka	Senegal	681,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Western Maninkakan	Folk Islam
PG012420	Maninka	Burkina Faso	195,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Western Maninkakan	Folk Islam
PG047665	Maninka	United States	5,700	Engaged yet Unreached	Western Maninkakan	Sunni Islam

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