The Isoko of Nigeria

The Isoko of Nigeria, numbering approximately 774,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a people of nineteen autonomous clans in Nigeria's northwestern Niger Delta, whose ancestors arrived in four migratory waves from the ancient Benin Empire and eastern Nigeria beginning around 1600. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Isoko is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Nigeria
People Cluster: Benue
Primary Language(s): Isoko (iso)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 774,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG013859
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Isoko 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: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

98%
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Isoko
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Isoko Speakers

Media Resources in Isoko:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Isoko:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
1977 Bible Society of Nigeria✓

1 entry

Or check out the Isoko bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Isoko 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 Isoko:
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 Isoko of Nigeria

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
readPsalm 67:4

Pray that those who are lost in darkness and confusion will come to understand God's ways, submit to His righteous rule, and experience the joy of His salvation.

And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
readLuke 7:50

Pray for the good news of Jesus Christ to reach many so that they can place their faith in Him and have lasting hope.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
readDeuteronomy 6:6-7

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will hide God's Word in their hearts, let it shape their conversations and daily lives, and pass on their faith to the next generation.

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
readPsalm 105:1

Pray that many among them will call on the name of Jesus, develop a heart for the nations, and go to places where the gospel has not yet been received.

Isoko Across Countries (ROP3 - 104085) 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.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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