First Branch Created in Guinea-Bissau

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently created its first branch in the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau (population 2.2 million). The Bissau Branch was organized under the Espargos Cape Verde District.

Previously, Guinea-Bissau was under the direct supervision of the Africa West Area via the Africa West Area Branch until approximately one year ago, when it was assigned to a mission for the first time—namely, the Cape Verde Praia Mission.

There were 45 Latter-day Saints in Guinea-Bissau as of year-end 2013 (the most recent year with published membership data), most of whom appear to have been baptized and confirmed in other countries (especially Portugal) before returning to their homeland.

Several factors appear to have delayed the establishment of a formal Church presence in Guinea-Bissau:

• The absence of a U.S. embassy

• A comparatively small population (by West African standards)

• Its Portuguese-speaking population

• Its remote location

In recent years, both formal and informal missionary efforts have resulted in convert baptisms within Guinea-Bissau, under the supervision of the Cape Verde Praia Mission. Prior to the branch’s creation, the country pertained to the Cape Verde Praia Mission Branch. Full-time missionaries now appear to be serving in Bissau, further signaling an increased focus on outreach.

Prospects for Church growth in Guinea-Bissau appear highly favorable, given:

• Good receptivity among Bissau-Guineans

• The relatively light administrative burden of the Cape Verde Praia Mission, which currently oversees only Guinea-Bissau and the four stakes and one district in Cape Verde.

With the creation of the Bissau Branch, only three West African nations remain without an official branch of the Church:

1. Burkina Faso

2. Mauritania

3. Niger

Among these, only Burkina Faso has a known member group, which was slated to become a branch in 2020, although this has yet to occur.

Below is a list of West African countries and the year their first branch was organized:

• Ghana – 1978

• Nigeria – 1978

• Liberia – 1987

• Sierra Leone – 1988

• Côte d’Ivoire – 1989

• Togo – 1999

• Benin – 2005

• Senegal – 2016

• Guinea – 2017

• Mali – 2017

• The Gambia – 2022

• Guinea-Bissau – 2025

Guinea-Bissau Assigned to the Cape Verde Praia Mission

The West African country of Guinea-Bissau was recently assigned to the Cape Verde Praia Mission. This marks the first time that Guinea-Bissau has been assigned to a mission, as the country has been under the administration of the Africa West Area through the Africa West Area Branch for many years. Guinea-Bissau has a population of approximately 2.2 million. Muslims constitute half of the population, whereas Christians and followers of folk religions comprise most of the other half of the population. The Church reported 45 Latter-day Saints in Guinea-Bissau as of year-end 2013, but there has never been an official congregation of the Church that has operated in the country. More recent membership information is unavailable. The assignment of Guinea-Bissau to the Cape Verde Praia Mission may signal imminent plans to establish an official Church presence in the country.

Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest and least economically developed countries of the world. Poverty is widespread and its porous borders have often attracted illegal activity, especially with drug smuggling into Europe. Moreover, the lack of an official United States diplomatic presence in the country has likely deterred area leaders to pursue formal proselytism in the country given the Church has often heavily relied upon American mission and area leaders to expand missionary activity into previously unreached areas. Nevertheless, there are excellent opportunities for growth if missionary work and a formal Church establishment are pursued in Guinea-Bissau, as there is religious freedom, little conflict between religious groups, and widespread use of several languages such as Portuguese, Bissau Guinean Creole, and Pulaar (a Fulani language). Moreover, many Bissau-Guineans have joined the Church in Europe, particularly in Portugal. The assignment of the country to the Cape Verde Praia Mission permits Portuguese mission resources to be utilized in Guinea-Bissau, as there are no other Portuguese-speaking countries West Africa.

Updated Country Profile - Guinea-Bissau

Click here to access the updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau is geographically one of the smallest nations in Africa and has a population of only 1.8 million. Guinea-Bissau is one of the few African nations without a Latter-day Saint presence where there is widespread religious freedom and a significant Christian minority (22% of the population). See below for the Future Prospects sections of this article:

The absence of a United States embassy in Guinea-Bissau, limited infrastructure and health care, and ongoing political instability may lead the Church to hesitate commencing formal missionary activity despite dozens of members who reportedly live in the country and widespread religious freedom. The Church’s historical reliance on American senior missionaries to establish the Church in unreached nations appears a major obstacle given these conditions. Security issues also pose potential concerns, although Latter-day Saint missions have long operated in Latin American nations with similar issues. Nevertheless, the Church in West Africa during the mid- to late 2010s promptly obtained government recognition and organized its first congregations in several previously unreached nations within a matter of months or a few years, suggesting that the Church may make similar strides in the remaining unreached West African nations such as Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia. Due to the maturation of the Church in many more established African nations like Ghana and Nigeria, African senior missionary couples may be assigned to the country to assist in establishing a presence. The growth of the Church in nearby Cabo Verde may result in Portuguese-speaking African missionaries being assigned in small numbers to Guinea-Bissau once regional and international Church leaders decide to begin proselytism.