The Niaboua of Cote d’Ivoire

The Niaboua of Cote d’Ivoire, numbering approximately 88,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Kru people of west-central Ivory Coast around Daloa and Soubre, whose oral tradition recounts their arrival from Liberia in the 15th century fleeing war, speaking a language within the broader Wee dialect continuum. They mostly adhere to Animism and Nyabwa is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Cote d’Ivoire
People Cluster: Kru
Primary Language(s): Nyabwa (nwb)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 88,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG013118
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Niaboua of Cote d’Ivoire

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

60%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Nyabwa
Language Family: Kru

100%
%
Nyabwa Speakers

Media Resources in Nyabwa:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Nyabwa:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
1991 Wycliffe Bible Translators Inc.✓✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Nyabwa bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Niaboua 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 Niaboua:
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 Niaboua of Cote d’Ivoire

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

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
readDaniel 7:13-14

Pray that the gospel will advance so that all peoples will come to know the Son of Man, who has been given dominion and glory and a kingdom, and that they will bow before Him and serve Him forever.

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
readPsalm 75:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will give thanks to the Lord for His wondrous works and declare His goodness to all people.

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessing.
read1 Corinthians 9:23

Ask God to give believers a deep desire to share the gospel with those who don't know the truth about God's redemption plan, and to provide them with opportunities to do so cross-culturally.

Nyabwa-Nyedebwa Across Countries (ROP3 - 107527) 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.

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