The Runga of Central African Republic

The Runga of Central African Republic, numbering approximately 41,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Nilo-Saharan people split between Chadian Arabic-speaking Runga and Aiki-speaking Runga-Aiki communities in northern Central African Republic and Chad, largely Muslim and drawn recently into factional violence within the Ex-Seleka FPRC militia. They mostly adhere to Folk Islam and Runga is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Central African Republic
People Cluster: Ouaddai-Fur
Primary Language(s): Runga (rou)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Islam
Population: 41,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG012922
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Runga of Central African Republic

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Folk Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

90%
%
Folk Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Runga
Language Family: Maban

100%
%
Runga Speakers

Media Resources in Runga:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Runga:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Runga bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Runga 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 Runga:
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 Runga of Central African Republic

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
read1 Chronicles 16:26

Pray that those among them who are lost and seeking after worthless idols will have the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news, seeing that Jesus is better than any idol.

There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
readPsalm 19:3

Pray that God will lead them to His Word, and where it is not available, ask that He will raise up those who will produce gospel media in their heart language.

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
readPsalm 121:1-2

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ and experience hardship, God will remind them that their help comes from the One who made heaven and earth and that He is powerful to meet their needs.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
readJohn 3:16

Pray that God will send and sustain believers to cross cultures and share the gospel with the lost. Ask that He will give them His heart for the lost and that many will believe in Him and not perish but have eternal life.

Runga Across Countries (ROP3 - 108443) 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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