The Zambezi Tonga of Zambia

The Zambezi Tonga of Zambia, numbering approximately 2,095,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are described as an ethnolinguistic community of Zambia They are an Indigenous people, with Tonga (Zambia) as their ethnic/kinship group and are in the Bantu, Central-South people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion. They primarily speak Tonga (Zambia).

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Zambia
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-South
Primary Language(s): Tonga (Zambia) (toi)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 2,095,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG015645
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Zambezi Tonga of Zambia

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: Ethnoreligion
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

%
Ethnoreligion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Tonga (Zambia)
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Tonga (Zambia) Speakers

Media Resources in Tonga (Zambia):

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film
JESUSView Film

2 films

Bible Resources in Tonga (Zambia):

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
1963 Bible Society of Zambia

1 entry

Or check out the Tonga (Zambia) bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Zambezi Tonga 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 Zambezi Tonga:
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 Zambezi Tonga of Zambia

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
readPsalm 20:7

Pray for those who trust in anything other than the Lord to be convicted of their sin and learn about what Jesus did for them so that they can choose to trust in Him.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’
readRevelation 7:9-10

Pray that many people will receive the gospel and will be part of the great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, clothed in white robes and palm branches, proclaiming salvation belongs to our God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
readPsalm 42:2

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will thirst for God and be satisfied when they abide in Him.

Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
readLuke 10:3

Ask God to raise up and send humble believers who will depend on Him as they go out like lambs among wolves to share the good news with those who need to hear it.

Tonga, Zambezi Across Countries (ROP3 - 111137) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

2 people groups

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

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