The Zanaki of Tanzania

The Zanaki of Tanzania, numbering approximately 186,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are None. They mostly adhere to Neo-Pentecostalism and Zanaki is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Tanzania
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-Lakes
Primary Language(s): Zanaki (zak)
Primary Religion(s): Neo-Pentecostalism
Population: 186,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG015063
View on Joshua Project

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

50%
%
Neo-Pentecostalism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Zanaki
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

50%
%
Zanaki Speakers

Media Resources in Zanaki:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Zanaki:

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

1 entry

Or check out the Zanaki bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Zanaki 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 Zanaki:
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 Zanaki of Tanzania

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
readEphesians 6:12

Pray for those ensnared by the darkness of this world, that they will recognize the spiritual forces at work and turn to the light of Christ.

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
readIsaiah 30:21

As the lost in this people group seek to know the truth of who God is, pray that the Spirit of God will draw them to Himself and guide them in the way they should go.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
readPsalm 51:15

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will abide in Him, and God will help them to proclaim His praise and declare His goodness all day long.

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
readJeremiah 29:7

Pray that God will lead the lost among them to followers of Jesus who will share the gospel with them so that they may believe and take the message of hope to their families and friends.

Zanaki Across Countries (ROP3 - 111143) 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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