Moor in Niger






Largest Religion

Main Language


Moor people video

Source LinkUp Africa                                                Download

Introduction / History

On the southern edge of the West African Sahara live the Moor of Niger. Niger is a landlocked country surrounded by Chad, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Mali. It is a tropical country with mountains and plains. A chain of arid plateaus can be found in the drought-prone Sahel region, which parallels the southern frontier. Along the Niger River and the Sahel are open grasslands. Unfortunately, Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, heavily dependent on foreign aid.

The Moor of Niger are a nomadic people who sometimes fight over watering and grazing rights, particularly during the dry season. Subsistence farming and animal breeding are their main sources of income.

The largest uranium reserves in the world are located in Niger, and many Moor occasionally work in the extraction of uranium. The extraction and exporting of uranium and other minerals are the country's largest sources of income.

What are Their Lives Like?

The Moor are a nomadic tribe who live in tents made of woven wool. Their basic family unit is the "tent." They are very proud of the fact that their origin can be traced to the Arabs.

Marriages among the Moor are pre-arranged by the parents, with the groom's father requesting the hand of the bride. A Moorish woman never marries against her family's wishes. She is given a dowry (money or property) upon marriage. After the wedding, the groom never enters the tent of his in-laws, nor does he share their table or look them in the eye when talking. The parents visit their daughter only when their son-in-law is absent. Sadly, divorce is common among the Moor.

When Moors from different nomadic tribes meet, several rigid customs are followed. These customs, which are a consequence of the long history of raids in the desert, are used by the groups to regulate the meeting. For example, when two people are talking, several mannerisms are used to indicate their involvement in the conversation. If a Moor blows on his hand during a conversation, it means he does not believe anything that is being said. If he puts his finger in his ear, it means that he is not interested in what is being said.

Moorish society is organized into successive ranks of tribes, clans, sub-clans, and family or "tent" units. There are four basic class divisions that are based on heritage, race, and occupation. The White Moor form the two upper classes, while the Black Moor make up the two lower classes. This division is based solely on parental descent, not on skin color. For example, if a father is considered white, his children, despite the darkness of their skin or the social condition of their mother, inherit the status of "White Moor."

A White Moor is ethnologically defined as "a nomad of Berber-Arab origin." They represent the two upper classes of Moorish society: the warriors and the religious leaders. The Black Moor make up the two lower classes. They live in a world of their own-usually one of slavery. There are two types of Black Moor: the 'abd-le-tilad (slaves who belong to the tents and are part of the family), and the 'abd-le-tarbiya (acquired slaves). Even though slavery is now against the law, it continues to be a fundamental part of the social and economic structure of the Moor.

What are Their Beliefs?

Virtually all of the Moor of Niger are Malikite Muslims. They faithfully adhere to the laws of the Koran and the basic Islamic practices, which include praying, fasting, and giving alms to the poor. The Moor acknowledge two main Islamic brotherhoods: the Qadiri and the Tajani. The Qadiri is the most widespread group and is characterized by many secret societies that are saturated with mysticism.

What are Their Needs?

The Moor need to experience the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Much intercession is needed to reach them with the Gospel.

Prayer Points

* Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to Niger and share Christ with the Moor.
* Ask God to give the small number of Moor believers boldness to share the love of Christ with their own people.
* Pray for the effectiveness of the Jesus film among the Moor.
* Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Moor towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
* Pray that God will raise up teams of intercessors who will faithfully stand in the gap for these precious people.
* Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Moor.

Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

Expanded PDF Profile

People Name General Moor
People Name in Country Moor
Population in Niger 19,000
World Population 6,950,000
Countries 9
Progress Scale 1.1
Least-Reached Yes
Unengaged or Unknown Yes
Indigenous Yes
Alternate Names Bidan, Bidan Maure, Bithan, Hassaniya, White Moor
Affinity Bloc Arab World
People Cluster Arab, Hassaniya
People Name General Moor
Ethnic Code CMT32y
People ID 13592
Country Niger
Region West and Central Africa
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Hassaniyya (19,000)
Hassaniyya 19,000
Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible Portions No
New Testament No
Complete Bible No
Format Resource
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching (Global Recordings Network)
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project)
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Hassaniyya

Major Religion Percent
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
0.00 %
100.00 %
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
0.00 %
Photo Source: Anonymous  
Map Source: Bethany World Prayer Center  
Video Source: LinkUp Africa
Profile Source: Bethany World Prayer Center  
Data Sources: Data is compiled from various sources. Read more
Get Involved
Register ministry activity for this group
