Pray for: Burkina Faso

Flag for Burkina Faso

Key Stats

Religion & Geography
Category Statistic
Continent: Africa
Capital: Ouagadougou
Population: 23,840,247
% Urban: 31.2 %
Population Under 15 Yrs: 44.7 %
Official Language: French, spoken by a minority of the population. Trade languages Moore (the Mossi language), Jula in south and west
Languages: 70
Literacy Rate: 36 %
Life Expectancy: 59.3 yrs (222/236)
HDI Ranking: 184 / 189
% Christian: 20.7 %
% Evangelical: 8.9 %
Largest Religion: Muslim
% Largest Religion: 52.2 %
People Groups: 80
Least Reached People Groups: 27
% Unevangelized: 31 %
Persecution Ranking: 23 / 50

Burkina Faso

Title: Burkina Faso

Tier: 1

Type: country

The rise – or arrival from elsewhere – of radical jihadist Muslim groups has brought great turmoil to Burkina Faso. Both Christians and Muslims have been targeted and murdered by these Islamist groups. These attacks, combined with existing ethnic tensions, rebel groups, and political instability, led to not one but two military coups in 2022. Over 2 million people have been displaced and at least 10,000 killed. Burkina Faso is seen as a strategic key in the region. Violence here could easily spill over into the whole Sahel region. Pray for God to restrain those with wicked ambitions and intentions. Pray for wisdom and courage for the nation’s leaders, and for faith and fearless love for Christians in this land.

Burkina Faso

Title: Burkina Faso

Tier: 1

Type: country

The power of the spirit world has not been broken. Some people say that the population is “50% Muslim, 20% Christian, and 100% animist”! Idols, charms, and secret societies have more control in Burkina Faso than in most West African countries. The occult shows its power even in some churches. The strongest animist groups live in the west and southwest. Pray for the risen Christ to demonstrate His power and set many free. Pray for Christians to demonstrate the power and authority of the name of Jesus and to live out holy, blameless lives in His name.

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Content taken or adapted from Operation World, 7th Edition (2010) and Pray for the World (2015). Both books are published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.