Borana of Ethiopia (PGID: PG011558)

The Borana of Ethiopia

The Borana of Ethiopia, numbering approximately 978,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Cushitic Oromo people of Ethiopia's Borena Zone and northern Kenya practicing the uninterrupted Gadaa governance system, which selects nine leaders every eight years and drove their 12th-15th century territorial expansion. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Horn of Africa Peoples
Country: Ethiopia
People Cluster: Oromo
Primary Language(s): Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo (gax)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 978,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG011558
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Pray for the Borana of Ethiopia

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.

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

90%

Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%

Oromo, Borana-Arsi-Guji Speakers

Media Resources in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film
JESUS	View Film

2 films

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

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Bible Resources in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo:

Bible Name (Translation)	Video	Audio	Text
1994 Bible Society of Kenya		✓
2007 Bible Society of Ethiopia		✓

2 entries

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

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SPI: No longer Unreached

The Borana 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 Borana:

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 Borana of Ethiopia

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
Ephesians 5:8

Pray that those who are lost will turn from the darkness they are walking in and embrace the light, becoming children of light who bear fruit in every good work.

The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
Psalm 146:9

Pray for God to watch over people, wherever they are, and cause them to meet believers who will share the gospel with them clearly and lovingly.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:20-21

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will remember their citizenship is in heaven.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
Psalm 9:18

Pray that God will raise up believers who can help meet emotional and physical needs among this people group. Ask Him to open doors for them and give them the courage to walk into difficult situations and share the hope of the gospel boldly.

Borana Across Countries (ROP3 - 101615) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

2 people groups

Photo	People Group ID	Name	Country	Population	Strategic Progress Index	Language ▲	Religion
	PG011558	Borana	Ethiopia	978,000	No Longer Unreached	Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo	Sunni Islam
	PG014769	Borana	Kenya	215,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo	Sunni Islam

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

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