Yerwa Kanuri of Nigeria (PGID: PG014188)

The Yerwa Kanuri of Nigeria

The Yerwa Kanuri of Nigeria, numbering approximately 8,760,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Kanuri ethnic group indigenous to the Borno and Yobe states of northeastern Nigeria. They mostly adhere to Folk Islam and Central Kanuri is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Nigeria
People Cluster: Kanuri-Saharan
Primary Language(s): Central Kanuri (knc)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Islam
Population: 8,760,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG014188
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Pray for the Yerwa Kanuri of Nigeria

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Folk Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

100%

Folk Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Central Kanuri
Language Family: Saharan

100%

Kanuri, Yerwa Speakers

Media Resources in Central Kanuri:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film

1 film

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Central Kanuri:

Bible Name (Translation)	Video	Audio	Text
1997 Bible Society of Nigeria		✓

1 entry

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Central Kanuri bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Yerwa Kanuri 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 Yerwa Kanuri:

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 Yerwa Kanuri of Nigeria

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:9

Pray for those, rich and poor, who have put their trust in worldly things, and ask that they will be honest with themselves, acknowledge their need for God and turn to Him.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1

Pray that the gospel will advance and that many who are far from God will receive the good news of salvation with joy and have peace with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Matthew 18:20

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be encouraged as they remember that Jesus is with them when they gather in His name.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16

Pray that God will raise up sons and daughters who, like Paul, will be bold to share the gospel across cultural barriers so that many might receive salvation.

Kanuri, Yerwa Across Countries (ROP3 - 104605) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

5 people groups

People Group ID	Name	Country	Population	Strategic Progress Index ▲	Language	Religion
PG012059	Kanuri	Sudan	498,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Central Kanuri	Sunni Islam
PG013614	Yerwa Kanuri	Niger	238,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Central Kanuri	Folk Islam
PG011469	Yerwa Kanuri	Chad	293,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Central Kanuri	Folk Islam
PG012815	Yerwa Kanuri	Cameroon	192,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Central Kanuri	Folk Islam
PG014188	Yerwa Kanuri	Nigeria	8,760,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Central Kanuri	Folk Islam

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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