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

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
readEphesians 2:8-9

Pray that the lost among them will receive the gift of salvation by grace through faith, not by works, and be created for good works.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
readMatthew 6:10

Pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and that people will seek His kingdom and righteousness above all else, trusting in His provision.

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
readRomans 10:12

Pray that as people from different backgrounds place their faith in Christ, they will be unified by their faith Him.

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
readIsaiah 58:7

As believers cross cultures to share the good news of Christ, pray that God will sustain them and grow their faith as He gives them the compassion necessary to minister well to those in need.

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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