Niger

This Saharan country is nearly twice the size of Texas. With approximately 80% of its land area being desert, its temperatures are among the highest in Africa. The majority of its twenty-three million citizens dwells in southern portion of the country where the less barren region can support their cattle and some subsistence farming. Some, however live in the Bedouin camps or in remote villages of the North crossing the rippling sand dunes on camels, just as their ancestors did centuries before Niger became a country.

For a time, part of Niger was included in kingdom of Mali whose Muslim ruler introduced Islam, eventually succeeding with sobering results. The country is still 99% Muslim today with many people groups entirely unreached with the Gospel. Niger was later controlled by the French, and it began to take steps toward freedom after WWII finally achieving full autonomy in 1960. French remains the official language while several African languages are also spoken by the inhabitants.

Since they obtained freedom, there has been frequent periods of insurrection and political insecurity. There have been four military regimes, seven intervening republics, and multiple coups. These upheavals have contributed to the nation’s low education levels and literacy rates — only approximately half the population is literate. However, there are complete Bibles in the most spoken tribal tongues giving them an avenue to salvation, if they could obtain a copy of the Scriptures.

Missionaries in Niger:

Missionaries in Africa (listed with BIMI account numbers)