The Masa of Cameroon

The Masa of Cameroon, numbering approximately 350,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Chadic cattle-herding people whose oral tradition traces migration from Yemen through Egypt and Sudan to the Lake Chad basin, arriving in northern Cameroon before the Tikar and later targeted by Tripoli-based slave traders along the Chad border. They mostly adhere to Animism and Masana is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Cameroon
People Cluster: Chadic
Primary Language(s): Masana (mcn)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 350,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG012678
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Masa of Cameroon

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: Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

55%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Masana
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%
%
Masana Speakers

Media Resources in Masana:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Masana:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
2003 Bible Society of Cameroon✓

1 entry

Or check out the Masana bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Masa 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 Masa:
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 Masa of Cameroon

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
readProverbs 30:5

Pray that those who don't yet know God will trust the flawless Word of God and seek refuge in Him, finding hope and salvation instead of remaining in spiritual darkness.

O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
readPsalm 104:24

Pray that they will see the wisdom and power of God in His creation and praise Him for His mighty works.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
readPsalm 119:105

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will meditate daily on the Word of God so that, through it, they might have wisdom for the big and small decisions they face every day.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
readPsalm 57:9

Pray that God will raise up believers among them who will boldly go and share the gospel with people nearby and with those far away.

Masa Across Countries (ROP3 - 106369) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

2 people groups

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

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