Nnam Scripture Portions
Overview
The Nnam scripture portion is the Gospel of Luke in the Nnam (Ndem) language of Cross River State, Nigeria, published by The Seed Company through the Luke Initiative for Scripture Translation (copyright ©2024 Luke Initiative) and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 3995). This represents the first modern scripture translation into Nnam, completed in 2024. Global Recordings Network has additional audio resources in Nnam.
Language and People
Nnam (ISO 639-3: nbp; autonym: Ndem) is a Niger-Congo language in the Southern Bantoid branch: Atlantic-Congo → Volta-Congo → Benue-Congo → Southern Bantoid → Ekoid languages → Ekajuk–Nnam subgroup. The Ekoid language cluster includes nine related languages (Ekajuk, Nkim, Nkum, Abanyom, Nde, Nta, Nselle, Efutop, and Nnam) concentrated in the Nigeria-Cameroon borderland region — one of Nigeria's most linguistically dense zones.
The Nnam people inhabit the western portion of Cross River State, Nigeria, in the Ikom and Ogoja LGA areas, in the original Nnam settlement areas of Emeatal/Etikpe.
Estimated speakers: approximately 7,900 (Joshua Project, 2025; earlier Ethnologue 1987 data cited ~3,000). The language is classified as vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — stable, used at home and community level. The community is classified as Partially Reached (Progress Scale 4).
Publishing and Organizations
Published by The Seed Company through the Luke Initiative for Scripture Translation, a Seed Company programme focused on Gospel portions for languages lacking any Scripture.