Significant Growth in the Africa South Area

Recent statistics indicate that rapid growth is currently occurring in the Africa South Area. A recent video posted on YouTube by the Africa South Area Presidency disclosed a wide range of internal growth metrics that are not typically shared publicly, making the scope and level of transparency in this data release highly unusual for the Church. As with all internally reported Church data, these figures reflect operational metrics shared by area leadership and are not independently audited. The following statistics were shared as percentage increases from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025:

• Sacrament Meeting Attendance: +21% 
• BYU-Pathway Enrollment: +41% 
• Ministering Interviews: +21% 
• Lessons with a Member Present: +24% 
• Convert Baptisms: +13% 
• New Converts Attending Sacrament (Year-to-Date): +26% 
• Seminary and Institute Enrollment: +32% 
• Missionaries Serving from the Africa South Area: +45% 
• Members Holding a Current Temple Recommend: +17% 
• Members Submitting Names for Temple Work: +22%

These are impressive numbers considering the Church reported approximately 202,000 members in the Africa South Area as of year-end 2024. Additional statistics were also shared in the video, including:

• More than 20,000 converts baptized during 2025 (as of mid-November 2025)
• Increasing numbers of applications received for full-time missionary service. Total number of applications received by year were reported as follows:
• 2023: 940
• 2024: 1,441
• 2025: 1,277 (as of mid-November)

The video also noted that 12 new stakes are currently in application or submission process, including:

• Antananarivo Madagascar (4th stake)
• Luveve Zimbabwe Stake
• Harare Zimbabwe (7th stake)
• Gweru Zimbabwe Stake
• Nampula Mozambique (2nd stake)
• Maputo Mozambique (4th stake)
• Harare Zimbabwe (8th stake)
• Ndola Zambia Stake
• Kadoma Zimbabwe Stake
• Mbabane eSwatini Stake
• Gqeberha South Africa Stake
• Soweto South Africa Stake 

Finally, the devotional video also reported that the first full-time missionaries have been assigned to the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe (population: 210,000). The first convert baptisms, the dedication of the country for missionary work by Elder Ronald A. Rasband, and the organization of a member group also recently occurred. 

Analysis

These metrics are highly encouraging and unusual for several reasons. First, the Church has achieved rapid growth despite a membership base of approximately 200,000. Rarely does the Church achieve double-digit percentage growth in the twenty-first century for any metric once membership becomes this large. Second, growth appears to be well distributed across the area which stretches from Angola, Zambia, and Mozambique in the north, to South Africa in the south, and Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius to the east. New stakes are slated for organization in all countries with at least 10,000 members, and several districts are planned to become stakes (including the first in eSwatini and the second in Zambia). With the implementation of heightened standards for new stakes to be created outside of North America in 2024, the planned creation of these new stakes signals strong leadership development and member activity. Third, the number of missionaries serving from the Africa South Area is up nearly 50% in a single year time span. Unprecedented success in missionary workshops the area has organized to encourage young single adults to serve full-time missions has appeared to drive much of this growth. Returned missionaries are an invaluable resource for staffing leadership, and increasing numbers of local members serving full-time missions helps improve the self-sufficiency of missionary operations in the Africa South Area. Fourth, growth metrics tracking missionary, temple and family history work, member activity, and seminary and institute enrollment are all consistently higher by 13% or more during this 1-year period. High growth areas of the Church in terms of convert baptisms can often lag behind with some of these metrics, such as temple and family history work, considering the focus has historically been on baptizing new converts and expansion. Fifth, convert baptisms represent the smallest percentage increase among the metrics disclosed in the video (13% increase), yet other metrics, including sacrament meeting attendance (21%) and new converts attending sacrament meeting (26%), are significantly higher. Thus, member activity rates appear to be improving, as growth rates are higher for these measures of member activity than the total number of converts joining the Church, suggesting improved retention and post-baptism engagement. Whether these gains can be sustained over the long term—particularly in newer areas—remains an open empirical question that will be clarified in future reporting. Sixth, the Church in the Africa South Area reported an increase of 11.6% in membership between year-end 2023 and year-end 2024 - a comparatively slower growth rate than most of the metrics discussed (although this statistic only slightly overlaps with the statistics shared in the video). Seventh, the Church is not only building up long-established centers of strength in the area (i.e., Johannesburg, Harare), but is also expanding into areas where the Church has had little or no prior institutional presence, such as São Tomé and Príncipe and northern Mozambique where there is only one stake and no districts in the planned Mozambique Nampula Mission. Five new missions are planned for the area in 2026. Eighth, the Church also reported large numbers of new congregations organized in the area during 2025. According to my count in parentheses, the following countries have had an increase of at least one congregation during 2025: Zimbabwe (20), Mozambique (12), Botswana (6), Madagascar (6), Angola (5), Malawi (3), Lesotho (2), and Zambia (1). 

This pattern of accelerated growth is not isolated to southern Africa. The Africa Central Area also had a major year for growth in 2025. For example, there were approximately 88 new congregations created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone (a 25% increase for the year), and the number of congregations in Kenya increased by 26 (a 34% increase). The Africa West Area also had a productive year in many countries. Other areas of the world also experienced accelerated growth in 2025 compared to recent years. Preliminary reports suggest the Church may have set a new all-time record for the number of convert baptisms in a single year in 2025 which is likely around 350,000-375,000. Official 2025 statistics will be released in April.

36 New Missions to be Created in 2024 Analysis: Africa

This post provides an analysis of new missions to be created in Africa in 2024, as announced by the Church on November 1st. 

Of the 36 new missions to be organized worldwide in 2024, nine (25%) will be organized in Africa - the most new missions ever organized in Africa in a single year. The total number of missions in Africa will increase from 45 to 54 as a result of the creation of these new missions (a 20% increase). The decision to create these new missions in Africa has been part of a broader trend in allocating larger amounts of missionary resources to Sub-Saharan Africa. For example, in 2023 the Church organized five new missions in Africa (a 12.5% increase from 2022), and all but one of the new missions organized in 2023 were in Africa (missions organized in Africa in 2023 included the Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan North Mission, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kananga Mission, the Nigeria Aba Mission, the Nigeria Abuja Mission, and the South Africa Pretoria Mission). Other recently organized missions in Africa have included the Rwanda Kigali Mission (2022), the Cameroon Yaounde Mission (2020), the Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission (2020), the Mozambique Beira Mission (originally intended to be organized in 2020 but actually created in 2021), Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission (2020), the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa East Mission (2019), the Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission (2018), the Nigeria Ibadan Mission (2018), and the Zimbabwe Bulawayo Mission (2018). The Church operated 34 missions in Africa as of year-end 2019. Thus, the number of missions in Africa will have increased by 20 just within a five-year time period. Once the new missions are created in Africa next year, the number of missions in Africa will have doubled within the past 10 years. The population of Africa is estimated to increase from 1.17 billion to 1.49 billion from 2014 to 2024. Therefore, the average African Latter-day Saint mission in 2024 will serve a smaller population (27.7 million) than in 2014 (45 million). The significant increase in new missions in Africa appears attributed to larger number of African Latter-day Saints serving full-time missions and also efforts to redistribute missionary resources from less productive areas to more productive areas of the world. 

See below for a mission-by-mission breakdown for new missions to be organized in 2024. All African nations with at least 100,000 Latter-day Saints will have two new missions organized in 2024.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KINSHASA SOUTH

The DR Congo Kinshasa South Mission will be the Church's third mission in the massive urban agglomeration of Kinshasa which has a population of 15 million people. The new mission will be organized from the DR Congo Kinshasa West Mission (organized in 1987) and the DR Congo Kinshasa East Mission (organized in 2019). Currently, there are 11 stakes in Kinshasa - most of which have grown quite large and appear likely to divide in the near future. The new mission may indicate plans to create additional congregations and stakes in Kinshasa given there has appeared to be a pause in new unit creations in recent months despite rapid membership growth in the country. Reports I have received have noted plans by area leadership to create additional stakes, although these plans have not yet been announced or implemented. The creation of the new mission will also help to better administer fledgling areas with a relatively recent Church establishment outside of Kinshasa, such as in the far west (e.g, Matadi, Goma, Muanda, Kimpese), west central (Bandundu, Kikwit), and north (Kisangani) areas of the DR Congo. Moreover, there remain many large cities that are entirely unreached by the Church within the boundaries of the current two Kinshasa missions (e.g., Genema, Kisantu, Mbandaka, Mbanza-Ngungu), and a new mission may help to better establish the Church in additional locations. French and Lingala are the most commonly spoken languages in the Kinshasa area.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KOLWEZI

The DR Congo Kolwezi Mission will be created from a division of the DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission (organized in 2010). The new mission will likely include three stakes (two in Likasi, one in Kolwezi). The creation of a second stake in Kolwezi appears imminent, as the stake has grown to 12 wards and 2 branches (the stake was organized in 2019 with seven wards from a member district). The realigned DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission will probably include four stakes (all in Lubumbashi) and one district in Kasumbalesa, although two stakes in Lubumbashi appear likely to divide to create two new stakes in the immediate future. The new mission may help the Church to expand into unreached or recently reached locations in the southern areas of the DR Congo (for example, a member group was recently established in Kamina, and perhaps hundreds of isolated Latter-day Saints and prospective members have self-organized in Kikondja for decades, but are extremely remote and difficult to reach). French and Swahili are commonly spoken in the Kolwezi area. 

There will be seven missions in the DR Congo once the two new missions are organized. 2023 marks the first year the Church has organized two missions in a single year in the DR Congo. The Church organized its first mission in the country in 1987, followed by additional missions in 2010, 2016, 2019, 2023. It is also important to note that some areas of the eastern DR Congo are administered by the Rwanda Kigali Mission (organized in 2022), such as missions branches in Uvira (2), Bukavu, and Goma. No other country in the world that had only one mission in 2009 has had so many new missions organized. As of year-end 2022, there were 102,862 Latter-day Saints in the DR Congo. The population of the DR Congo is projected to be 105.6 million in 2024. Thus, the average Congolese mission will have 15 million people within its boundaries (although this is a bit of an overestimate since this calculation does not include the Rwanda Kigali Mission). The Church has reported some of its highest membership growth rates in the world in the DR Congo in recent years. 

GHANA ACCRA NORTH

The Ghana Accra North Mission will be the Church's third mission in Accra that will likely be organized from the Ghana Accra Mission (organized in 1985) and the Ghana Accra West Mission (organized in 2013). There are 12 stakes in the greater Accra metropolitan area, and the two missions also currently include five more stakes in outlying cities (e.g., Abomosu, Asamankese, Koforidua, Swedru, and Winneba). Three districts are also within the boundaries of the two current missions (Dzodze, Ho, Kpong). The Church has experienced variable growth rates in the Accra area within the past 45 years. The new mission will likely help to better saturate urban areas in Accra with more congregations and full-time missionaries, as well as to help expand into unreached areas in areas surrounding Accra (especially in the Volta Region).

GHANA TAKORADI  

The Ghana Takoradi Mission will be organized from the Ghana Cape Coast Mission (organized in 2005). The new mission will likely include two stakes (one in Mpintsin, one in Takoradi) and two districts (Axim and Tarkwa), although a third stake in the greater Takoradi area appears likely to be organized soon (the Mpintsin Ghana Stake currently has 11 wards and two branches). The new mission will likely conform to the boundaries of the Western Region of Ghana with a population of a mere 2.1 million people, thereby making the Ghana Takoradi Mission the African mission with the smallest population within its geographical boundaries. The new mission may provide for greater mission resources to expand into northern and western areas of Western Region which are minimally reached by the Church, as well as to provide greater saturation of mission resources in Takoradi. The realigned Ghana Cape Coast Mission will also have a comparatively small target population for mission outreach, with perhaps as few as 2.5 million people (making this mission the African mission with the second fewest people within its boundaries). Steady growth has occurred in the current boundaries of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission, with the most significant growth occurring during the first few years of a Church presence in the late 1970s and early 1980s and within the past 10 years. Of the seven stakes in the current boundaries of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission, four stakes have been organized since 2016. 

The Church in Ghana will have six missions in 2024, resulting in the average mission in Ghana having 5.8 million people. However, 14.2 million of the 34.8 million people in Ghana live within the boundaries of the Ghana Kumasi Mission (41%). Excluding the Ghana Kumasi Mission, the remaining Ghanaian missions will have an average of 4.1 million people within their geographical boundaries. The Church previously created missions in Ghana in 1985, 2005, 2012, and 2013. Thus, 2024 will be the first year that two missions have been organized in Ghana in the same year. The Church reported 101,924 Latter-day Saints in Ghana as of year-end 2022.

NIGERIA CALABAR MISSION

The Nigeria Calabar Mission will likely be organized from a division of the Nigeria Uyo Mission (organized in 2002) and the Nigeria Enugu Mission (organized in 1992). The new mission will probably include four stakes (three in Calabar, one in Akamkpa) and one district in Ugep - all located in the Nigerian state of Cross Rivers (population 4.4 million). The Church announced a temple for Calabar last month. Rapid growth has occurred in Cross Rivers State where the first stake was organized in 2002 followed by additional stakes in 2015, 2017, and 2022. It appears likely that 1-2 new stakes may be created in Calabar in the near future due to the steady creation of new wards in the city. The Church previously headquartered a mission in Calabar which was first headquartered in Uyo, although this mission's headquarters later returned to Uyo in 2019. The new Nigeria Calabar Mission may have the smallest population of any Nigerian mission if the mission includes just the 4.4 million people in Cross Rivers State. To put this into contrast, the total population of Nigeria is 229 million, so the Nigeria Calabar Mission may have only 1.9% of the total country population.

NIGERIA PORT HARCOURT NORTH

The Nigeria Port Harcourt North Mission will likely be organized from a division of the Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission (organized in 1988). There are seven stakes in Port Harcourt, and the current Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission also includes three additional stakes (two in southern Akwa Ibom, one in Yenagoa) and two districts (both located near Port Harcourt in Rivers State). The current mission boundaries have approximately 10 million people within its geographical boundaries in the Nigerian states of Rivers and Bayelsa, and a very small portion of the Akwa Ibom State. Thus, each mission will likely have approximately five million people. Although initial growth was relatively slow in Port Harcourt in the 1980s and 1990s, the Church has experienced rapid growth for much of the past 10-15, as the number of stakes in the city increased from three in 2011 to seven in 2021. Several stakes appear likely to be organized in the foreseeable future in Port Harcourt due to large numbers of congregations in the city. Although it is within close proximity to Aba, it appears likely that a temple will be announced one day in Port Harcourt given the large concentration of Latter-day Saints in the city and transportation challenges in Nigeria for many members. The Port Harcourt Nigeria Stake was the Church's second stake in Nigeria when it was organized in 1990. Today, there are now 70 stakes in Nigeria. Port Harcourt will the only city in Nigeria with two missions headquartered within it (although this is not the first time two missions have been based in the same Nigerian city, as the Church briefly operated two missions in Lagos approximately 10-15 years ago).

With the creation of these two new missions, there will be 11 missions in Nigeria. Current Nigerian missions were organized in 1980, 1988, 1992, 2002 (2), 2013, 2016, and 2023 (2). Thus, the number of missions in Nigeria in 2024 will be nearly twice the number of missions in 2014. Never has any country on the Afro-Eurasian landmass had as many missions as Nigeria at present (9). Even more impressive, Nigerian missions do not include North American missionaries, and they are staffed primarily by African missionaries. The average mission in Nigeria will have approximately 21 million people in 2024, although this is not a very accurate ratio since the Nigeria Abuja Mission includes approximately 117 million people within its geographical boundaries (most of whom live in states where Sharia Law is practiced and where there is no Church presence). Excluding the Nigeria Abuja Mission, the 10 missions that will operate in the remainder of Nigeria in 2024 will service 11.2 million people per mission on average. The Church reported 221,172 Latter-day Saints in Nigeria as of year-end 2022. Nigeria appears likely to become its own church area given its large Church membership and significant opportunities for growth and expansion with such a large population.

KENYA NAIROBI EAST

The Kenya Nairobi East Mission will be created from a division of the Kenya Nairobi Mission (organized in 1991). Currently, the Kenya Nairobi Mission includes the entire country of Kenya (population: 56.2 million), although the mission historically serviced the entire region of East Africa prior to the creation of the Uganda Kampala Mission (organized in 2005) and then serviced Kenya and Tanzania until the creation of the Tanzania Dar Es Salaam Mission in 2020. Thus, until 2020, the Kenya Nairobi Mission has not been able to exclusively focus its missionary resources on Kenya despite his large population. Currently, there are three stakes and six districts in Kenya. Thus, the new Kenya Nairobi East Mission will probably include 1-2 stakes and three districts. The Church in Kenya has experienced modest growth since its initial establishment in 1979, and the first stake was organized in 2001. Additional stakes were organized in 2016 and 2023. The Church reported 17,438 Latter-day Saints as of year-end 2022. However, membership and congregational growth rates have accelerated in recent years, as membership increased by 9.6% in 2022 - the highest seen in over a decade. Furthermore, the Church has organized 11 new wards and branches in Kenya thus far in 2023, including the first branches in several previously unreached cities in western Kenya. The new mission will allow for greater numbers of missionaries to serve in Kenya to further expand outreach into additional areas unreached at present by the Church, further saturate the Nairobi metropolitan area (population: 6.6 million) with more congregations, and help strengthen districts to become stakes (such as in Eldoret and Kyulu). Many large cities remained unreached by the Church in Kenya. The Church created the Africa Central Area with headquarters in Nairobi in 2020. The Nairobi Kenya Temple is under construction.

MADAGASCAR ANTANANARIVO NORTH

The Madagascar Antananarivo North Mission will be organized from a division of the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission (organized in 1998). The Madagascar Antananarivo Mission currently services several countries in addition to Madagascar (31 million people), including Mauritius (1.3 million people), Reunion (part of France with approximately 1.0 million people), Comoros (868,000 people), and Mayotte (also part of France with approximately 346,000 people). Currently, there are four stakes and two districts in Madagascar. The Church reported 14,353 Latter-day Saints in Madagascar as of year-end 2022, whereas there were less than 1,000 Latter-day Saints each in Mauritius and Reunion. There is no Church presence in Comoros or Mayotte at present. Seychelles remains unassigned to a mission, and it is possible that Seychelles may be assigned to a mission once the new mission is organized. Thus, the new mission will likely have 1-2 stakes assigned, as well as 1-2 mission branches, although it is unclear which missions may be assigned the two districts in Reunion and Mauritius. The new mission may help to expand outreach into the virtually untouched north of Madagascar where there is only one mission branch in Mahajanga. The Church in Madagascar has achieved variable growth rates since the first branch was organized in 1990. The first stake was organized in 1990 followed by additional stakes in 2011, 2022, and 2023. The Antananarivo Madagascar Temple was announced in 2021.

SIERRA LEONE BO

The Sierra Leone Bo Mission will be organized from a division of the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission (organized in 2007) which only services Sierra Leone at present. The new mission has appeared long awaited given the rapid growth of the Church in eastern Sierra Leone which went from zero stakes and four districts in 2016 to four stakes and one district today, with multiple stakes likely to divide in the near future. I have written previously about the remarkable growth of the Church in Bo where Latter-day Saints number among the largest Christian denominations in the city. The new mission will probably include four stakes and one district in eastern and southern Sierra Leone, as well as a two branches in Koidu which appears likely to become a district once 1-2 more branches are organized in the city. The first two stakes in Bo were organized in 2017 followed by a third stake in 2019, whereas the stake in Kenema was organized in 2019. Bo appears to be one of the most likely locations in Africa for a temple announcement in the near future given the growth and size of the Church in the area. The realigned Sierra Leone Freetown Mission will likely include five stakes (all located in Freetown and all organized since 2012) and one district (Makeni). Each mission will likely have 4.5 million people within its boundaries given the population of Sierra Leone is approximately nine million. All large and medium-sized cities have an official ward or branch in the prospective boundaries of the Sierra Leone Bo Mission, and the new mission may help establish the Church in many small cities throughout the region. Sierra Leone is one of the most well-reached countries of the Church in Africa in terms of the percentage of Latter-day Saints in the population (0.34%), and also considering that all cities with at least 30,000 people have at least one ward or branch (except Port Loko). Rapid growth has occurred for the Church in Sierra Leone since 2011, and the Church reported 28,867 Latter-day Saints as of year-end 2022. Currently, Sierra Leone is the country in Africa with the most Latter-day Saints with only one mission. The Freetown Sierra Leone Temple is under construction.

Percent Latter-day Saints by Country in 2021 - Sub-Saharan

See below for a table that provides the percentage of Latter-day Saints by country in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is important to note that the percentage of Latter-day Saints in the population significantly decreased for some countries during the past couple years, even in some countries where the Church reports rapid membership growth. This is not primarily because of changes in membership growth rates during this time. Instead, it is due to new estimates for population totals that significantly increased compared to the prior estimates. Countries with an asterisk have estimated membership totals. These estimates were made based upon reports from local members, returned missionaries, mission presidents, news media, and other sources of information. The larger the number for the estimate, the more likely it is to be accurate.

Increases in the Number of General Authority Seventies and Area Authority Seventies - April 2020 General Conference

Yesterday, the Church announced the calling of nine new General Authority Seventies and 58 Area Authority Seventies. Among the nine new General Authority Seventies, the Church called its first General Authorities from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Nigeria: Thierry K. Mutombo and Adeyinka A. Ojediran, respectively. Prior to yesterday's announcement, the Church had only called two Black African men as General Authority Seventies, namely Elder Joseph W. Sitati from Kenya in 2009 and Elder Edward Dube from Zimbabwe in 2013. There were 92 General Authority Seventies (seven of whom were in the Presidency of the Seventy) prior to yesterday's announcement, whereas now there are 101 General Authority Seventies altogether. The number of General Authority Seventies in the Church has increased in recent years after many years of no significant increase. For example, there were 73 General Authority Seventies in late 1996, 80 General Authority Seventies in October 2005 and 81 General Authority Seventies in early 2013. For more information about General Authority Seventies, click here.

The Church reported 266 Area Authority Seventies prior to yesterday's changes in international Church leadership. With 58 new Area Authority Seventies announced and six Area Authority Seventies released, the worldwide total for Area Authority Seventies is now 318. The number of Area Authority Seventy has rapidly increased in the past 25 years from 137 in 1997 to 195 in 2005 and 224 in 2012. For more information about the role of Area Authority Seventy, click here.

20+ New Stakes to be Created in West Africa in 2020

Church leaders in West Africa report that at least 20 new stakes will be created later this year in the Africa West Area. Specific locations for where these new stakes will be created have not yet been announced. One new stake has been organized in West Africa thus far in 2020 - the Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Selmer Stake on March 1st. It appears the size of current stakes and districts that most of these stakes will be organized in Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire.

Africa Central Area Details

Details on the new Africa Central Area released, with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. https://www.mormonnewsroom.co.za/article/africa-central-area-office-to-be-in-nairobi--kenya

Creation of the Africa Central Area Announced

Today the Church announced the creation of the Africa Central Area, effective August 2020. The new area will be organized from a division of the Africa Southeast Area, which includes countries from Sudan in the north to South Africa in the south, and countries from Mauritius in the east to Cameroon and the Central African Republic to the west. Information on what countries will be assigned to the new area has yet to be released, albeit it appears most likely that the area will include countries from Sudan in the north to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Tanzania in the south, to Somalia in the east and Cameroon to the west. Kinshasa, DR Congo appears the logical headquarters for the Africa Central Area as it is the city with the most stakes (11) in Central Africa and East Africa where the only operating temple is located in these region (one temple is also announced for Nairobi, Kenya). The DR Congo is also the country in the region with the largest population with 85 million people, suggesting that placement of area headquarters in this nation would provide for more resources allocated to this area where rapid Church growth has consistently occurred since the Church's initial establishment in the mid-1980s. The establishment of the new area will provide for significant increases in resources to this region of Africa in regards to manpower, financial resources, and attention by international Church leaders regarding missionary work and outreach expansion.

The Africa Central Area will be the Church's third Africa-based area of the Church. The Church organized the Africa Area in 1990 (later renamed Africa Southeast) followed by the Africa West Area in 1998. North Africa was assigned to the Middle East/Africa North Area upon its creation in 2008. Additionally, it appears highly likely that the Church will organize a Nigeria Area in the foreseeable. The Church has reported its most rapid growth in Africa in West Africa during the past decade. Currently, the Church in Nigeria is approaching 200,000 members, 700 congregations (wards and branches), 58 stakes, 18 districts, seven missions, and two temples (one announced, one in operation).

History of the Church in West Africa Video

Click here to watch a 46-minute video regarding the establishment of the Church in each country in West Africa. This video was created to commemorate three milestones: the 40th anniversary of the the 1978 Revelation regarding Blacks and the Priesthood, the 30th anniversary of the creation of the first stake in West Africa, and the creation of the 100th stake in West Africa. Furthermore, the video provides membership information for several countries where no LDS membership information is provided on www.mormonnewsroom.org. This data appears current as of April 2018 as this was the last time membership, congregation, and organization data were provided on the Africa West Area website. These countries include:

• Senegal - 74 members 
• Guinea - 56 members
• Mali - 42 members

LDS Growth in West Africa - Review and Projections

Today I posted an article on cumorah.com that provides a review of LDS growth trends in West Africa and projections for future growth within the coming 15 years. Click here to access the article. Here are some figures from this article that I found particularly interesting:

• The annual number of convert baptisms has nearly tripled since 2010 from approximately 10,000 in 2010 to 19,993 in 2013 to 23,000 in 2014 and approximately 27,000 in 2016.
• Membership has increased proportionally throughout the area within the past 20 years (e.g. 57% versus 52% in Nigeria, 29% versus 25% in Ghana, 5% versus 6% in Sierra Leone, 3% versus 4% in Liberia) although Cote d’Ivoire has been an outlier (6% versus 12%). 
• There are few members and no official church presence in Burkina Faso, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Niger, and Western Sahara. The combined population of these countries as of 2016 was 58.0 million, or 15.8% of the total population of the Africa West Area.
• Forty-nine percent (47%) of congregations in West Africa operated in Nigeria in 2016, whereas 26% operated in Ghana. The remainder of West African congregations functioned in Cote d’Ivoire (17%), Sierra Leone (5%), Liberia (3%), Togo (2%), Benin (1%), and Senegal (0.1%).
• In early 2017, the Church reported 340 cities and towns with an official LDS presence including 192 in Nigeria, 91 in Ghana, 41 in Cote d’Ivoire, seven in Sierra Leone, four in Benin, three in Liberia, one in Senegal, and one in Togo. As a whole, the number of cities with an LDS presence in West Africa increased by 233% between 2001 and early 2017.
• Provided with the range of estimated membership by the year 2030 per low (e.g. 5% for Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone; 7.5% for Liberia; 10% for Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin) and high (e.g. 10% for Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone; 15% for Liberia; 20% for Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin) growth rates given historical growth trends, projected LDS membership by nation for the year 2030 is as follows: Nigeria (300,000-600,000), Ghana (145,000-275,000), Cote d’Ivoire (150,000-500,000), Sierra Leone (35,000-67,000), Liberia (30,000-80,000), Togo (15,000-50,000), Benin (10,000-34,000), Senegal (1,000-2,000), Guinea (1,000-2,000), and Mali (1,000-2,000). 
• The Church may operate as many as 30 missions in West Africa by 2025 and 37 missions by 2030 given historical growth trends in the number of missions for the region.
• The Church may operate as many as 264 stakes in Nigeria, 120 stakes in Ghana, 72 stakes in Cote d’Ivoire, eight stakes in Benin, eight stakes in Liberia, eight stakes in Sierra Leone, and eight stakes in Togo by the year 2025 given historical growth trends. 
• The Church in West Africa may operate as many as 13 temples by the year 2030 if the average temple administers 38 stakes given projected stake growth trends.  
• The Church will continue to remain a small minority in West Africa as a whole and in individual nations for many decades to come even if high projections for growth rates are maintained due to the comparatively small size of the LDS Church at present. Membership may constitute as high as one percent of the population in a few nations by the 2030s.

New Era of LDS Expansion in West Africa

I recently received a report that the Church in West Africa will organize its first branch in another previously unreached nation within the Africa West Area in the immediate future. Although the source did not disclose the country where this branch will be created, Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso appear to be the most likely possibilities. The Church within the last 18 months has created its first branches in Senegal (May 2016), Guinea (June 2017), and Mali (July 2017). The opening of branches in these nations has been the greatest coordinated effort of the Church to expand into previously unreached countries since the Church organized official branches in the former Yugoslav republics during the early 2010s (e.g. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro). The seven countries within the Africa West Area without an official LDS presence currently include Burkina Faso, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Niger, and Western Sahara.

Ten New Stakes to be Created in West Africa during the Remainder of 2017

A recent article on the Ghana Mormon Newsroom site indicates that the Church in West Africa expects to organize 10 new stakes in the Africa West Area before the end of 2017. Earlier this year, missionaries reported that the area presidency indicated that the Church is expected to reach 100 stakes in West Africa in 2018. As there are currently 80 stakes in the Africa West Area, it appears that there will be approximately 90 stakes in the area by the end of the year. So far, the Church has organized five new stakes and four new district in the Africa West Area during 2017 according to my count (see right column of blog for complete listing of new stakes and districts organized during the year) although the recent article on the Ghana Mormon Newsroom site states that there have been 11 new stakes and districts organized during the year thus far.

The following stakes in West Africa appear most likely to divide within the next six months. New stakes created from the division of these stakes may account for some of the 10 new stakes to be created before the end of the year:

• Aba Nigeria North (11 wards, 2 branches)
• Aba Nigeria Ogbor Hill (10 wards, 5 branches)
• Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon North (12 wards)
• Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon South (13 wards)
• Accra Ghana Adenta (11 wards, 5 branches)
• Freetown Sierra Leone (11 wards, 3 branches)
• Lomé Togo (14 wards, 3 branches)

The following districts in West Africa appear likely to become stakes within the next 6-12 months:

• Adzope Cote d'Ivoire (7 branches)
• Akamkpa Nigeria (9 branches)
• Asaba Nigeria (7 branches)
• Bo Sierra Leone East (5 branches)
• Bo Sierra Leone North (7 branches)
• Bo Sierra Leone West (7 branches)
• Daloa Cote d'Ivoire (8 branches)
• Ekpoma Nigeria (10 branches)
• Kenema Sierra Leone (8 branches)
• Ogwashi-Nsukwa Nigeria (12 branches)
• Paynesville Liberia (11 branches)
• San-Pedro Cote d'Ivoire (7 branches)

Rapid LDS Growth in West Africa Continues

The Church in West Africa continues to experience unprecedented growth. Area leadership estimates that the Church in West Africa will reach 100 stakes by 2018. This indicates that there may be as many as 25 new stakes organized in West Africa during the next 18 months. Growth has been driven by increasing numbers of convert baptisms, leadership development, and increases in active membership. For example, church membership in West Africa increased by 10% during 2016 - the third highest annual membership growth rate for the region since 2002. Thus far in 2017, the Church in Nigeria has reported a net increase of 28 new wards a branches - more than any other country in the worldwide church for 2017 thus far. If this rate of congregational growth is sustained for the remainder of 2017, there may be as many as 100 new wards and branches organized in Nigeria. Since the beginning of 2017, the net increase in wards and branches by country has been as follows: 10 in Cote d'Ivoire, six in Ghana, four in Sierra Leone, one in Benin, and zero in Liberia, Senegal, and Togo.

Africa West Area Projects 16 New Stakes in 2016

Senior missionaries serving in Ghana recently reported that Africa West Area leadership predicts a total of 16 new stakes to be organized in the Africa West Area during 2016. The Africa West Area includes seven countries with an official LDS presence including Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo, and Sierra Leone. Thus far, there have been two stakes organized in the Africa West Area in 2016: the Mpintsin Ghana Stake and the Cotonou Benin Stake. Therefore, it appears that as many as 14 new stakes will be created by the end of the year in the Africa West Area.

Below is a list of 38 stakes and districts in the Africa West Area that appear likely locations for the formation of new stakes.

• Cote d'Ivoire
• Abobo Cote d'Ivoire East Stake (12 wards)
• Cocody Cote d'Ivoire Stake (11 wards)
• Daloa Cote d'Ivoire District (8 branches)
• Port-Bouet Cote d'Ivoire Stake (12 wards)
• San Pedro Cote d'Ivoire District (7 branches)
• Ghana
• Abomosu Ghana District (7 branches)
• Accra Ghana Adenta Stake (9 wards, 4 branches)
• Ashaiman Ghana Stake (9 wards, 3 branches)
• Assin Foso Ghana Stake (9 wards, 4 branches)
• Cape Coast Ghana Stake (13 wards, 1 branch)
• Koforidua Ghana District (9 branches)
• Kumasi Ghana Bantama Stake (11 wards, 6 branches)
• Kumasi Ghana Dichemso Stake (10 wards, 8 branches)
• Twifu Praso Ghana District (7 branches)
• Liberia
• Monrovia Liberia Bushrod Island District (9 branches)
• Monrovia Liberia District (6 branches)
• Paynesville Liberia District (6 branches)
• Nigeria
• Aba Nigeria Ogbor Hill Stake (10 wards, 5 branches)
• Abeokuta Nigeria Stake (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Abuja Nigeria Stake (14 wards, 1 branch)
• Asaba Nigeria District (7 branches)
• Eket Nigeria Stake (11 wards, 3 branches)
• Ekpoma Nigeria District (10 branches)
• Ijebu-Ode Nigeria District (8 branches)
• Ikot Ekpene Nigeria District (7 branches)
• Ile-Ife Nigeria District (11 branches)
• Nsit Ubium Nigeria Stake (10 wards, 4 branches)
• Ogwashi-Nsukwa Nigeria District (7 branches)
• Onitsha Nigeria District (11 branches)
• Port Harcourt Nigeria East Stake (14 wards)
• Port Harcourt Nigeria West Stake (11 wards, 2 branches)
• Yenagoa Nigeria District (8 branches)
• Sierra Leone
• Bo Sierra Leone East District (7 branches)
• Bo Sierra Leone West District (8 branches)
• Freetown Sierra Leone Stake (10 wards) 
• Kenema Sierra Leone (7 branches)
• Kissy Sierra Leone District (9 branches)
• Togo
• Lome Togo Stake (9 wards, 7 branches)

Exponential LDS Growth in Africa?

On February 12th, the Church published a news release on its mormonnewsroom.org website in regards to rapid LDS growth in Africa. The news release coincided with information on the groundbreaking of the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple. In the news release the article states:

"Indeed, the Church in Africa has grown exponentially in the past 30 years — a fact surprising even to those who understand best the culture and complexity of this vast region of the globe — whether they are leaders and converts living and serving in Africa, or those who have come to Salt Lake City to help guide the affairs of the global Church."

Some additional noteworthy points in the article include:

"In 2014, more than 12,000 people joined the Church in Southeast Africa (about 4 percent of growth Churchwide) and 24,000 people joined in West Africa (about 8 percent of the 296,000 converts around the globe)."

"To appreciate this rapid growth, historical context helps. In Africa 30 years ago, the Church had 137 separate congregations and about 22,000 members. Today, there are more than 1,600 congregations and half a million members — that’s 11 times more wards and branches and 20 times more members than in 1985."

"What’s more, the Church will soon have a new missionary training center in Accra that can train 400 missionaries at a time to support the faith’s global missionary force."

In addition to the news release, the Church also posted a video providing additional details on LDS growth in Africa. In the video, Elder Joseph W. Sitati of the Seventy stated:


"As we look to the future, this controlled growth will enable the Church to grow in a way that if that had not happened, the numbers would be much higher than what we have today. But I think the Church would be much weaker."

The Church has indeed experienced rapid growth in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa within the past three decades. The most rapid growth has occurred in Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), and Cote d'Ivoire. More than half of LDS membership in Africa resides in these four nations. During the 19-year period between 1995 and 2014, LDS membership increased from 28,000 to approximately 130,00 in Nigeria, 14,000 to 62,031 in Ghana, 5,300 to 42,689 in the DR Congo, and 2,800 to 27,052 in Cote d'Ivoire. Between 1995 and 2015, the number of stakes increased from three to 33 in Nigeria, two to 15 in Ghana, zero to 13 in the DR Congo, and zero to nine in Cote d'Ivoire. Rapid congregational growth has also occurred in all four of these nations within the past two decades, suggesting that commensurate "real growth" has occurred in these nations in regards to increasing numbers of active members. The Church in Cote d'Ivoire has recently experienced some of the most rapid expansion of the Church into previously unreached areas ever witnessed in modern church history. Significant increases in the number of West African and Congolese members serving full-time missions has warranted the Church to build a new MTC in Ghana with approximately quadruple the capacity of the original Ghana MTC constructed in the early 2000s.

Despite this progress, LDS growth in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be extremely limited. Overall growth trends have appeared much more modest than the "exponential" growth claims in the recent LDS news release. Here are some figures that support this argument:

• LDS membership exceeds 20,000 in only six of the 30 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where there is an official LDS presence, namely Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, DR Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, and Zimbabwe. Most the population in these six nations does not live in an area where an LDS congregation operates. Entire regions of these nations have absolutely no LDS presence whatsoever. In the DR Congo, the entire northern half of the country was totally unreached until the creation of the Kisangani Branch approximately one year ago. In Ghana, two administrative regions have no official wards or branches. There are approximately 100 cities in Nigeria inhabited by 100,000 or more people that have no LDS congregations, most of which are located outside of traditionally Muslim areas. Five of the 12 administrative districts in Cote d'Ivoire remain unreached by the Church.
• The Church in Sub-Saharan Africa reports fewer than 10,000 members in 20 countries where there is an official LDS presence.
• LDS membership and congregational growth rates are best described as linear or cubic in nearly all African nations.  
• The Church in Ghana and Sierra Leone reports the highest percentage of Latter-day Saints in the population among African nations - a mere 0.25%, or one LDS member per approximately 400 people.
• LDS growth trends over the past two decades have been slow or stagnant in seven nations, including Angola, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, and Tanzania.
• Four or fewer cities have an LDS presence in 17 Sub-Saharan African nations.
• There are 12 Sub-Saharan African countries where there are no official LDS congregations that operate despite sufficient religious freedom to conduct proselytism and no legal barriers for the Church to obtain government recognition. 
• Six Sub-Saharan African nations with an LDS presence - Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania - are inhabited by over 10 million people each have no LDS missions headquartered within their geographic borders.

A lack of international church resources allocated to Africa, combined with a conservative interpretation of the Church's "centers of strength" policy, appear the primary causes for an extremely limited LDS presence in Africa today. The interpretation of this policy has vastly differed between the Church's two African administrative areas during the past six years in particular. The Church in the Africa West Area has maintained some of the most successful and efficient policies governing LDS growth in the worldwide Church as evidenced by the organization of the first LDS branches in more than a dozen cities in Cote d'Ivoire during 2015. Recent congregational and membership growth rates have reached as high as 20% in some West African nations with good convert retention and member activity rates reported. However, the Africa Southeast Area has typically implemented policies that have stifled growth. For example, dozens of locations in the DR Congo have groups of isolated Latter-day Saints or prospective members that have been denied permission to organize official branches. The Church in Tanzania reports only six branches despite an LDS presence for over 20 years. The previous area policy that required proselytism and church services to be conducted exclusively in English rather than Swahili was a significant barrier for growth. No LDS mission operates in Ethiopia despite significant language barriers between mission leadership in English-speaking Uganda and an Ethiopian target population of nearly 100 million. Inadvertently, this conservative implementation of the centers of strength policy in the Africa Southeast Area has restricted LDS missionary resources into a handful of select locations, some of which have never matured into true centers of strength despite decades of proselytism, such as Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Blantyre, Malawi; Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; Maseru, Lesotho; and Windhoek, Namibia.

Despite these limitations, the Church in Africa has excellent opportunities for continued growth. These opportunities appear most likely to be taken advantage of in West Africa where sizable numbers of LDS missionary resources are allocated and where mission and area leaders regularly open additional cities to proselytism. Prospects for LDS growth in other areas of the continent also appear favorable, but the outlook for growth will depend on the Church assigning more missionaries to these areas, opening more cities to proselytism, and mission and area leaders engendering greater self-sufficiency in local church leadership.

Continued Progress in West Africa

The Church continues to rapidly grow in West Africa. A report from a senior missionary couple who serves in the area indicates that the Church in 2014 set an all-time record for the number of convert baptisms in the Africa West Area as over 23,000 converts joined the Church during the year. This marks the seventh year in a row that the Africa West Area has set a new record for the number of new converts baptized in a single year. Membership and congregational growth rates in West Africa have been approaching unprecedented levels that are reminiscent of the explosive growth of the Church in Latin America during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Here are some noteworthy LDS growth developments in the Africa West Area:

• Construction has started on a new missionary training center (MTC) in Accra, Ghana. The new facility will triple the capacity of the current Ghana MTC located in Tema, Ghana. The Ghana MTC has experienced steady increases in the number of missionaries it annually trains from less than 300 in the early 2000s to over 1,300 within the past two years.
• The following cities have had the first LDS branch organized within the past two months: 
• Abesim, Ghana
• Aflao, Ghana
• Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire
• Issia, Cote d'Ivoire
• Kugba, Nigeria
• Lakowe, Nigeria
• Snake Island, Nigeria
• The Church has continued to organize new branches in Sierra Leone despite the removal of full-time missionaries due to the Ebola epidemic. The most recently organized branch was the New England Branch in the Bo Sierra Leone East District.
• The Church reported significant net increases in the number of congregations in the following countries:
• Ghana (~40) - a 24% annual increase
• Nigeria (~40) - a 10% annual increase
• Cote d'Ivoire (~25) - a 35% annual increase
• Sierra Leone (~9) - a 30% annual increase

If membership and congregational growth rates remain stable in West Africa for the next decade, the Church may report the following statistics for year-end 2024. However, membership and congregational growth rates rarely remain stable for as long as a decade:

• Nigeria - 259,000 members, 1,078 congregations
• Cote d'Ivoire - 191,000 members, 1,950 congregations
• Ghana - 165,000 members, 829 congregations
• Liberia - 60,000 members, 63 congregations
• Sierra Leone - 45,500 members, 111 congregations
• Benin - 33,000 members, 152 congregations
• Togo - 24,600 members, 67 congregations

Click here to access statistical profiles on cumorah.com providing detailed statistics on LDS growth trends by country.

The Ebola Epidemic in West Africa and LDS Growth

I wanted to make a comment about speculation made by some regarding the impact of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa on the receptivity of native populations in the region to the LDS Church.

Although LDS growth has accelerated in West Africa within the past few years, this development has not appeared to have any direct correlation with the Ebola epidemic in the region. Recent rapid growth in Cote d'Ivoire as evidenced by the doubling of congregations in the Abobo Cote d'Ivoire stake in 2014 from eight to 16, the simultaneous organization of six branches in the city of Daloa, Cote d'Ivoire in early 2014, and accelerated national outreach expansion in Ghana appear to have no correlation with the recent Ebola outbreak. All of these recent LDS growth developments began before the Ebola outbreak did. The plans and approvals for the organization of new congregations takes months, and even up to a year, to be carried out, suggesting that these developments began before the Ebola epidemic.

Please see below to find links to the LDS statistical profiles to countries in the region. These profiles clearly show that accelerated growth began several years ago.

• Benin
• Cote d'Ivoire
• Ghana
• Liberia
• Nigeria
• Sierra Leone
• Togo

Recent Church Growth Developments in Africa

Members and missionaries continue to report encouraging LDS Church growth developments in Africa.  Some notable developments include:

• Preparations underway to open the Central African Republic and Gabon to missionary work
• The creation of two new stakes in Kinshasa, DR Congo in the coming months
• Plans to create additional branches in Angola and Togo
• Plans to create the first stake in Mozambique next year in Maputo
• The creation of a second branch in Rwanda
• The opening of two locations to missionary work in Sierra Leone (Waterloo and Rokel)
• The opening of a couple dozen new proselytism areas in Ghana, including the placement of full-time missionaries in several locations for the first time such as Abesem, Bibiani, Eshiem, and Mampong

Prospects for organizing additional missions in Africa next year are highly favorable.  Here are some locations for new missions that I think are most likely:

• Luanda, Angola
• Burundi/Rwanda
• Yaounde, Cameroon
• Central DR Congo (based in Mbuji-Mayi or Kananga)
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Monrovia, Liberia
• Benin City, Nigeria
• Johannesburg, South Africa (second mission)
• Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Significant Developments for the LDS Church in Africa

Cities open for missionary work in Ethiopia

In an unprecedented move, LDS missionaries serving in Awasa, Ethiopia report that three additional cities in the Awasa area have had their first LDS congregations organized, doubling the number of cities in Ethiopia which receive LDS outreach from three to six.  LDS missionaries were assigned to Shashemene and a group was established a few weeks ago whereas groups were recently organized in the cities of Ch'iko and Wendo.  Missionaries report that dozens are currently investigating the church in these cities and that baptisms occur weekly.  Once newly organized groups in Shashemene, Ch'iko, and Wendo mature into independent branches prospects appear favorable for a district to be organized.  Awasa was opened to missionary work in 2010 and the Awasa Branch was organized in 2008 with less than two dozen members.  At present over 100 attend church meetings in the four cities in the region.  LDS missionaries have served in Addis Ababa and Debre Zeit for many years, where three branches and a group for Nuer-speakers operate.  There are now four branches and four groups in Ethiopia organized into one district.  There has been no recent word on whether an unofficial group continues to operate in Gambella.

First LDS branch outside of Angolan capital organized

The first independent LDS branch outside of Luanda was recently organized in the southern Angolan city of Lubango.  A group was organized in Lubango about a year ago and operated under the Mozambique Maputo Mission Branch.  The LDS Church in Angola also recently had its first district organized for the three branches in Luanda.  A group was also recently organized in the Viana, a suburb of Luanda.  There are now four branches and approximately four groups in Angola.  Prospects appear highly likely for Angola to become its own mission due to high rates of receptivity to the LDS Church, administrative demands on the Mozambique Maputo Mission, distance from Angola to Mozambique, and a large, relatively unreached population in Angola that has received very few LDS missionary resources.  The first LDS missionaries were assigned to Angola only a few years ago.

First LDS stake organized in the central interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo


The Kananga Democratic Republic of Congo District recently became a stake, becoming the first stake in the country to be organized outside of Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.  The new stake includes five wards and three branches.  Enormous growth potential exists in the region and a third mission for the DR Congo based in Kananga, Mbuji-Mayi, or Luputa appears highly likely in the near future.  Missionaries report that missions based in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi are currently baptizing around 300 converts a month, with over 90% of converts being retained at least over the short term.  At this rate of growth, LDS membership may increase by between 7,000 and 9,000 in 2011 alone.  In late 2010, there were approximately 27,000 members in the DR Congo.

New branch organized in Uganda
A new branch was organized in the Jinja Uganda District named the Njeru Branch.  There are now six branches in the district.

New stake in Nigeria
The first new stake in Nigeria since 2007 was organized in Lagos.  The Lagos Nigeria South Stake includes five wards and two branches in the southern portion of the city.  The first stake in Lagos was organized in 1997 and a second stake was organized in 2005.  Several additional Nigerian stakes are close to splitting as all three stakes in Benin City have between 10 and 15 wards and the Port Harcourt Nigeria West Stake has 11 wards at present.  Nigeria has experienced recent growth in the number of districts as eight new districts were organized from late 2008 to mid-2010.  There are now 17 stakes and 21 districts in Nigeria.  Based on recent membership growth trends, LDS membership should number over 100,000 by mid-2011, becoming the first African country to have over 100,000 members.

Potential New Stakes in Africa

Here are some predictions for new stakes in Africa. If a country is not listed, it is because I find it unlikely to have a new stake created in it within the next 18 months. However, I am not suggesting all of these new stakes to be organized in the next 18 months, let alone the next five years. These areas have seen growth and are maturing, which would bring them closer to stakehood. Cities in italics currently have a district; cities in regular font already have a stake, but it is likely it will split.


SIERRA LEONE

• Bo - 7
• Freetown - 10

GHANA

• Assin Foso - 8
• Koforidua - 10
• Takoradi

NIGERIA

• Eket
• Asaba - 10 (more likely to be divided into two districts instead of made into a stake)
• Enugu - 9
• Ibadan - 7
• Ile-Ife - 7
• Umuahia - 8

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

• Luputa - 6
• Lubumbashi (the single stake might be divided into three stakes since there are 15 wards in it)

KENYA

• Chyulu - 11

UGANDA

• Kampala - 10

ZAMBIA

• Lusaka - 7

ZIMBABWE

• Gweru - 7
• Mutare - 6

Stakes and Districts in Africa

One of the best indicators of growth and activity in the Church is the presence and increase of stakes. Africa now has 46 stakes and 41 districts. As you can see in the map above (yellow squares are stakes; green squares are districts), the Church is strongest in Nigeria and Ghana. Even in these two countries, members are found in "pockets" among a large population. Working in just one or two cities in an entire country allows missionaries to train leadership while building up a large member population. A returned missionary from Madagascar explain this was the case in his mission, with almost all the missionaries serving in Antananarivo. "Building centers of strength" was the motto for missionary work in Madagascar and is a method used in many other poor, unstable countries for security issues as well. This is one of the reasons why we can see now five stakes in the Kinshasa-Brazzaville metropolitan area, and not even a branch of the Church in cities with over 100,000 people in the surrounding region. Before a new city opens for missionary work and a branch established, there usually needs to be active members currently living there.

Recently some members of the Church and others in academia have criticized the Church for being too American/Western European in Africa and have stunted growth. Examples of attacks made are missionaries wearing suits, no drums being used in worship services and a lack of native culture being integrated into LDS beliefs. The Church does not prohibit members from taking part in cultural activities and traditions. It does seek to keep the doctrine of the Church intact as possible. Based on countless missionary blogs from Africa as well as around the world I have never encountered a statement like "if only we had drums in our worship services more people would join the Church here." The statements that I find center on wanting more senior couple missionaries to help train local leadership and compliants on travel between cities that constrain training and mission resources.

Something interesting that have developed in the past five years in Africa is a trail of stakes and districts stretching from the center of the DR of Congo to South Africa. Considering this area has a large population, it could quite possible prove to become the powerhouse of Africa in the Church in the coming 10 years.