The Ndali of Malawi

The Ndali of Malawi, numbering approximately 128,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu farming people native to Tanzania's Ileje District who expanded southward into northern Malawi over the past century in search of new farmland, cultivating maize, millet, and cassava alongside cattle and goats. They mostly adhere to Ethnoreligion and Ndali is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Malawi
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-Tanzania
Primary Language(s): Ndali (ndh)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 128,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG048116
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Ndali of Malawi

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

97%
%
Ethnoreligion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Ndali
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Ndali Speakers

Media Resources in Ndali:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Ndali:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Ndali bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Ndali 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 Ndali:
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 Ndali of Malawi

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
readPsalm 46:10

Pray that those who do not yet worship Jesus will be still and know that He is God, that He will be exalted among them and in all the earth.

Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
readMark 10:14b

Praise Jesus for the way He loves children, asking that many will learn the truth about Him and come to Him unhindered.

Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.
readExodus 4:12

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, God will equip them with the words and wisdom to proclaim His message effectively.

And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
readLuke 10:6

Pray that, as people come to faith in Christ and want to share it with others, they will be welcomed into homes and received well so that they can share message of hope with many people.

Ndali Across Countries (ROP3 - 107148) 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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