Somalis of Eritrea (PGID: PG042708)

The Somalis of Eritrea

The Somalis of Eritrea, numbering approximately 53,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a culturally rich and historically significant Cushitic ethnic group, known for their nomadic traditions, Sunni Muslim faith, and influential role in the Horn of Africa's socio-political landscape. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Somali is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Somali

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Horn of Africa Peoples
Country: Eritrea
People Cluster: Somali
Primary Language(s): Somali (som)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 53,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Unengaged and Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG042708

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Pray for the Somalis of Eritrea

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.

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

99%

Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Somali
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%

Somali Speakers

Media Resources in Somali:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film
Magdalena	View Film

2 films

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Somali:

Bible Name (Translation)	Video	Audio	Text
SIM Version		✓	✓
Society for International Ministries, 2008		✓	✓

2 entries

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Somali bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

Explore Lostness and Next Steps

Unengaged and Unreached

Strategic Priority Index (SPI): Unengaged and Unreached (SPI: 0), which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.
Lostness Priority Index (LPI): Frontier Unreached People Group, (LPI: 0), < 0.1% Evangelical.
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity (GSEC: 1), this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years

Next steps for the Somalis:

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group

Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group

Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Pray specifically for the Somalis of Eritrea

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you."
1 Samuel 13:13a

Pray that those who are walking in disobedience will recognize their sin and to turn to God.

Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
Psalm 47:6

Pray that believers will have a heart to invite others to trust in Christ alone so that they might sing praises to His name.

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

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

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Pray that as people hear and believe the gospel, they will serve others in Jesus' name, and the lost will have an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.

Somali Across Countries (ROP3 - 109392) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

16 people groups

People Group ID	Name ▼	Country	Population	Strategic Progress Index	Language	Religion
PG000357	Somalis	Italy	13,500	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG000434	Somalis	Netherlands	41,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG000683	Somalis	United Kingdom	143,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG011486	Somalis	Djibouti	627,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG011644	Somalis	Ethiopia	8,325,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG011790	Somalis	Kenya	3,340,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG011935	Somalis	Saudi Arabia	77,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG011954	Somalis	Somalia	13,760,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG012141	Somalis	Sudan	2,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG012254	Somalis	United Arab Emirates	111,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG012292	Somalis	Yemen	1,245,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG015040	Somalis	Tanzania	71,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG042708	Somalis	Eritrea	53,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG043631	Somalis	United States	164,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG047404	Somalis	Canada	67,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam
PG050208	Somalis	Sweden	81,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Somali	Sunni Islam

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

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