The Ekpari of Nigeria

The Ekpari of Nigeria, numbering approximately 97,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a farming people of Yala Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria, organized into the Echuji, Enduchui, and Aji clans along the border with Tiv-speaking territory. They mostly adhere to Animism and Yace is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Nigeria
People Cluster: Benue
Primary Language(s): Yace (ekr)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 97,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG013765
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Ekpari of Nigeria

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

60%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Yace
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Yace Speakers

Media Resources in Yace:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Yace:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Yace bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Ekpari 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 Ekpari:
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 Ekpari of Nigeria

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
readIsaiah 59:2

Pray that those who are separated from God will turn to Him in humility and repentance, seeking His forgiveness and the restoration of a right relationship with their Heavenly Father.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
readPsalm 96:7

Pray that entire households will come to faith in Jesus and that God will bless their families with faith in Him for generations to come.

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
read1 Peter 3:8

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will live in harmony with one another, showing sympathy, love, compassion, and humility.

Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
readPsalm 149:3

Pray that God will send His people across cultures to share the gospel so that those who don't yet know the truth about Him might praise His name and share the hope of Christ with others.

Ekpari Across Countries (ROP3 - 102893) 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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