Efai in Nigeria


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Efai are a small people group, but they retain much of their culture, including their language. Their language is unwritten but is the preferred language of all generations.

The Efai live in the southeast corner of Nigeria, alongside the coast and very close to the border of Cameroon. A smaller population is also based in Cameroon, well inland from the coast.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Efai are subsistence farmers, growing yams, rice, cowpeas, maize and cassava. Oil palms and cocoa are their cash crops. They also raise poultry, pigs, sheep, goats and rabbits. Those living along the Nigerian coast catch shrimp and deep-sea fish. Some may also be employed in mining lignite (coal) or offshore oil fields as these are common occupations for people living their state of Akwa Ibom.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The vast majority of the Efai people identify as Christian. Some are evangelical.


What Are Their Needs?

Efai is used as a first language by all in the community, but there are no Efai Scriptures. The language itself remains unwritten. Community leaders, who may be interested in language development to preserve their language, can attend available workshops that expose participants to language vitality and potential short-term development and translation projects.


Prayer Points

Bless the Efai people from Numbers 6.24-26. Bless their Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, their communities in Nigeria and Cameroon, their homes and their hearts.
Pray that they receive God’s word in a language that they understand well.
Pray Efai people will access the Bible stories available online or in other languages to grow in their Christian faith.
Pray that the Efai listen and obey God’s word, so that they might be blessed (Luke 11:28).
Pray Efai community leaders and church leaders seek and find assistance to assess their language vitality and determine their language development and translation needs.
Pray that translation of the Efai Bible starts and enables the Efai to grow in their knowledge of God and develop a more intimate relationship with him.


Scripture Prayers for the Efai in Nigeria.


References

Efai | Ethnologue Free
Efai language - Wikipedia
Akwa Ibom State - Wikipedia
peoplegroups.org
Akwa Ibom | Nigeria, Map, & Facts | Britannica


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Efai
People Name in Country Efai
Alternate Names
Population this Country 12,000
Population all Countries 13,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 5  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 11715
ROP3 Code 102872
Country Nigeria
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 6  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Akwa Ibom state: Mbo LGA.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Nigeria
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 6  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Akwa Ibom state: Mbo LGA..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

No people group map currently available. Use the above button to submit a map.


Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 6.00 %)
94.00 %
Ethnic Religions
6.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Efai (12,000 speakers)
Language Code efa   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Efai (12,000 speakers)
Language Code efa   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Efai

Primary Language:  Efai

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Started

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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