First Branch Created in São Tomé and Príncipe

The Church recently organized its first official branch in the African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe. The São Tomé Branch is under the direct supervision of the Angola Luanda Mission and serves the capital city of São Tomé, where approximately 40% of the nation's population resides. The country has a population of approximately 210,000 and Portuguese is the official language.

The Angola Luanda Mission has overseen missionary efforts in São Tomé and Príncipe since the mission's creation in 2013. In March 2015, the mission president visited the country, met with isolated members, and conducted a sacrament meeting. In 2017, the first known Latter-day Saint from São Tomé and Príncipe began missionary service in the Cape Verde Praia Mission. Progress accelerated in 2025 when the first full-time missionaries were assigned to the country. Later that year, Elder Ronald A. Rasband dedicated the nation for missionary work, the first convert baptisms were performed, and a member group was organized.

The organization of a branch less than one year after the assignment of full-time missionaries highlights the receptivity of local residents and the rapid development of the Church in the country. Prospects for future growth appear favorable, particularly if full-time missionaries continue to be assigned on a consistent basis and recent converts are successfully retained, strengthened, and prepared for leadership responsibilities. Given the country's small population and concentrated urban center, sustained missionary efforts could establish a stable and self-sufficient local Church presence in the coming years notwithstanding remote location and a relative small population.

Updated Country Profile - São Tomé and Príncipe

Click here to access the updated Reaching the Nations country profile for São Tomé and Príncipe. The islands are inhabited by slightly more than 200,000 people and number among the few predominantly Christian nations in Africa without an official Church presence. There are good opportunities for growth given the demographics of the country and the Church's historical successes in less populous island nations such as Cabo Verde and the South Pacific. See below for the Future Prospects section of this article.

In a period of Church history with unprecedented opportunities to expand mission outreach in Africa, São Tomé and Príncipe remains a lesser priority due to the lack of local members, remote location, and small Portuguese-speaking population. Nevertheless, the islands present a valuable opportunity for growth given the Church’s historical successes in other island nations such as Cabo Verde and in the South Pacific. Mission and area Church leaders will likely need to conduct additional exploratory trips to assess conditions and search for isolated members. The assignment of even one senior missionary couple may provide an impetus toward establishing a permanent presence and the opening of the islands to missionary work.

Exploratory Visits from LDS Leaders to Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal

The Church has begun to explore opportunities for missionary work in two Sub-Saharan African nations: Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal. This information was obtained through reports from senior missionaries and mission presidents. Neither Sao Tome and Principe nor Senegal has an LDS presence despite widespread religious freedom and the operation of many other missionary-focused Christian groups in both of these nations.

Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe has a Portuguese-speaking population of approximately 180,000 people. The nation shares many cultural similarities with other Lusophone African nations such as Angola and Cabo Verde. Most the population adheres to Catholicism or Protestantism.

The Angola Luanda Mission president visited Sao Tome and Principe within recent months. The mission president was accompanied by Sao Tomean members who had joined the Church in Angola. A small sacrament meeting was held with a handful of isolated members and investigators who reside on Sao Tome. No member group appears to have been organized.

Click here to read a case study I wrote in 2013 on prospective LDS outreach in Sao Tome and Principe.

Senegal
Inhabited by 13.6 million people, Senegal is a country located in West Africa that is 94% Muslim, 5% Christian, and 1% followers of indigenous religions. Dakar is the capital city and had an estimated population of 3.2 million people. French is the official language and there are three indigenous African languages spoken by more than one million people (Fulani [Pulaar], Serer-Sine, and Wolof). 

Senior missionaries serving in Accra, Ghana report a recent visit to Dakar to meet with isolated members and investigators. Missionaries reported that a member group currently operates in Dakar. The group operates under the Africa West Area Branch. However, none of the members in the group are native Senegalese. Most, if not all, members in the group appear from other West African nations. 

Click here to read a case study I wrote in 2014 on prospective LDS outreach in Senegal.