Niger
In Niger, Radio reaches out to the people who live far from churches and who cannot read the Bible for themselves. Broadcasts are aired from over 40 local and regional stations in Niger.
Niger is a hard place to do ministry. One of the poorest countries in the world, the average individual here makes less than $400 per year. The region is heavily Islamic, and a mere 0.3% of the population are Christians. The vast majority of people in Niger are Muslim. Christians number fewer than 100,000 people.
Words of Hope’s indigenous partner in the region is the Evangelical Church of the Republic of Niger. We work with a local team to produce Christian media in eight languages, broadcast on local FM radio and distributed on SD cards that can be listened to on mobile phones. The follow-up leaders gather new believers and seekers into small groups and establish churches as the groups grow. Niger is one of the least reached countries in the world, and yet we are seeing amazing stories of salvation.
“The messages are reliable and tell the truth. Many people listen to the programs. We love the programs on family life, the life of Jesus, and the education of children. These programs help me a lot in my life everyday.
Languages
French
There are 11 official languages of Niger. French is the official language of this African country, introduced to the country by French colonists. It is spoken by 2.5 million people in Niger.
Fulfulde
Fulfulde is spoken by the Fula people of Niger. Many of the Fula are nomadic herdsmen of cattle, goats, and sheep. Others farm or work in a variety of art forms. The Fula continue to enforce a strict caste system, which divides people between nobles, tradesmen, and the descendents of slaves. During the years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, noblemen captured people to ship to other countries as slaves. The descendents of those captured continue to be considered part of the slave caste. Fula are forbidden from marrying outside of their caste.
Gourmantche
The Gourmantche of Niger still follow their traditional belief systems, though some have converted to Islam. Most families farm rice and raise cattle. The landscape in which they live, however, makes it hard to sustain life. Dry and arid desert means that often the Gourmantche must travel long distances to get water. Often each family can only grow enough rice to sustain themselves, with little left over to sell at profit. Literacy rates continue to be low among the Gourmantche, although increasing efforts are underway to improve school availability and attendance.
Hausa
Hausa is a heart language for 24 million Hausa people in West Africa, most of whom live in Niger, but the language is Hausa is widely spoken across the continent.
Kanuri
The Kanuri language is spoken in south central and east Niger, also in Nigeria. This language has less than a million speakers.
Tamashek
Tamashek is the collective word used to define the Tuareg languages used in Niger. The language has about 900,000 speakers in Niger. There are two main languages under the Tamashek language: Air Tamajeq and Tawellemmet.
Tubu
Overlapping pasture lands in Chad are home to this small language group of fewer than 500,000 people.
Zarma
Zarma is the second-most common language in Niger, after Hausa. It is spoken by over two million people.
Prayer Requests
- Pray for security and safety concerns after anti-Christian violence related to Islamic extremism.
- Pray for efforts to start listener clubs, an important step in further evangelization.
- Pray that the message sent over the radio will find hearts prepared for accepting the Lord.
- Pray for those who are new in the faith and for more effective follow-up.
Stories from Niger
Equipping Young People in Niger
Words of Hope Niger partners with the Evangelical Church of the Republic of Niger to empower indigenous communities. Together, we collaborate with a local team to create Christian media content
Christ Alone
A year ago, a resident in Niger informed Words of Hope’s Hausa language producer that he was suspicious of our Christian programming. As a Muslim, he expected to find much of the content of our Hausa programs offensive. He was angry at the thought that local programming might be attacking the majority Muslim faith of the region.
Combatting Persecution in Niger
In the country of Niger, Christians—especially new converts—can be subjected to persecution. One of our producers explains: “The challenge is keeping up with listeners who want to accept Jesus as
The Challenge of Ministry in Niger
The country of Niger has an overwhelmingly Muslim majority. In fact, 99% of the population self-identifies as Islamic. Niger does maintain separation between church and state, meaning that legally individuals
Pray for Niger
Niger is one of the most impoverished countries in the world. Many individuals there are barely surviving on scant incomes and meager farming resources. Your support of Words of Hope in Niger is providing much-needed income for evangelists in the country who would not otherwise be able to serve as ministers while also supporting their families.
Leaving Home
Bahati did not have an easy start to life. She grew up in Niger, a country with high levels of poverty. Her first marriage ended in abuse and rejection at the hands of her husband. With two children to support, Bahati returned to her family’s home. She lived peacefully there for a time, but one day she heard a radio program that would change everything.
Niger: Out of the Ashes
In January of 2015, a group of Muslim protesters lashed out against Christians in Niger. The protesters were angry at Western media portrayals of their prophet. In a shockingly organized