Nzebi in Gabon

People Name:	Nzebi
Country:	Gabon
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	248,000
World Population:	275,000
Primary Language:	Njebi
Primary Religion:	Christianity
Christian Adherents:	72.00 %
Evangelicals:	14.00 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Bantu, Northwest
Affinity Bloc:	Sub-Saharan Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The majority of the Nzebi people live in small villages and towns spread across the forested lands of southern Gabon with a small population over the border in southwestern Congo (Brazza). Many, however, are found in the major urban centers of Gabon, especially in the capital, Libreville. The church was well established amongst the Nzebi beginning in the 1930s through the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Today, a congregation meets in nearly all Nzebi villages for worship and teaching.

Some still follow the traditional pagan religion, Mbuti, and especially in the villages there is much nominal Christianity with syncretism of Christian practice and traditional religion. Spiritual needs include the whole Bible in the vernacular, greater use of the vernacular as opposed to French in worship and preaching, and trained pastors and lay leadership for village churches.

They are primarily subsistence farmers who grow manioc, plantains, corn, yams, sugarcane, taro, peppers, oranges, pineapples, and bananas. Small cash crops include coffee, peanuts, palm oil, dried fish, and yams in local markets. The Nzebi also hunt and fish. They are adequately educated with a fairly high literacy rate in French. Gabon's stability, established through good leadership and rich oil reserves, has made electricity and clean water available to many in the cities, towns, and villages though some towns and villages are still without one or the other of these.