Pray for Ethiopia
High mountains, cliffs and valleys in northern Ethiopia, a World Heritage Site.
Photo: Florian Fell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About Ethiopia
The capital is Addis Ababa. People speak Amharic, Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali and many other languages. Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Protestant Christianity are the main faiths.
Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.
Prayer briefing for Ethiopia
Last updated November 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.
Current events
War has gone on in northern Ethiopia since 23 September. On 20 October the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ethiopia called for an immediate ceasefire, but no peace talks have been reported. Reports say federal and allied Tigrayan forces fought TPLF forces in eastern Tigray on 2 November. The UN says new fighting has displaced thousands more in Tigray and Amhara, and insecurity is blocking aid. Civilians on every side are bearing the brunt.
We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.
Leadership and politics
Ethiopia has a federal government led by a prime minister. The President is Taye Atske Selassie and the Prime Minister is Abiy Ahmed, who began a new five-year term after his Prosperity Party won a large majority in the election of 1 June 2026. The new Tigray administration is meant to hold regional elections within six months, and relations with Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan are very tense.
We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.
Economic health
Official figures say the economy grew about 10% in the year to July 2026, though the IMF and others give lower estimates. Inflation has been rising again, to about 15% in July 2026, with petrol and sugar prices up sharply. The World Bank estimates that about 43% of people lived in poverty in 2025, and youth unemployment is about 27%.
We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.
Social and cultural issues
Ethiopia is home to more than 115 million people from many peoples and languages. Conflict in Tigray, Afar and Oromia has displaced many families, and ethnicity, politics and land often overlap with religion. Tigray still carries the toll of famine from the last war and now also faces drought.
We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.
Spiritual landscape
The 2007 census, the latest available, found about 44% of Ethiopians in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, about 34% Sunni Muslim and about 19% evangelical and Pentecostal Christian. Many observers believe the Muslim and evangelical shares have grown since then. Orthodox Christians are found most in Tigray and Amhara, Muslims in Afar, Somali and parts of Oromia, and Protestant churches in the south and west.
We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.
Religious freedom
The constitution separates religion and state and guarantees freedom of religion. In practice, the US State Department reported that in 2023 churches and religious sites were attacked in areas of conflict, about 20 mosques were demolished in Sheger City, and worshippers were killed during unrest linked to a church dispute. Religious groups must register to gather and hold land.
We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.
Historical wounds
By many estimates, the war in Tigray from 2020 to 2022 killed hundreds of thousands of people and pushed hundreds of thousands into famine, before the Pretoria agreement in November 2022. Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a border war in 1998, and in 1962 Ethiopia had ended its federation with Eritrea and made it a province. Many communities carry deep grief and mistrust from these years.
We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.
Let us pray together
Our Father, we come to You together for Ethiopia. Bring the fighting in Tigray and the north to an end, and send safety, food and shelter to every family who has fled. Give wisdom, integrity and justice to those in authority, and lead every leader towards peace with neighbours. Provide for families facing rising prices, and grant honest stewardship of the nation’s growth. Bring reconciliation between peoples and protect the vulnerable. Let Your truth and hope fill every church, home and village. Keep all believers safe and free to worship. Heal the wounds of past wars and famine, and lead Ethiopia in forgiveness and lasting peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sources
- The Rio Times (The Reporter): UN urges Tigray ceasefire (Oct 2026)
- allAfrica: renewed fighting forces families to flee again in Tigray, displaces thousands in Amhara (Nov 2026)
- EEPA: Situation report 777 (5 Nov 2026)
- Reuters via Daily Maverick: Abiy names new Tigray government (Oct 2026)
- Xinhua via The Star: president projects 10.1% growth (Oct 2026)
- Capital Ethiopia: growth paradox, inflation and poverty (Sept 2026)
- US State Department: 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, Ethiopia
- US State Department: 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, Eritrea
More ways to pray
PrayerCast shares short prayer videos for the nations. Watch its video for Ethiopia and pray along.
Watch the PrayerCast video for Ethiopia
It opens on prayercast.com in a new tab. If it does not open the page for Ethiopia, search for the nation on PrayerCast.
Is something on this page not right? Tell us
Share a prayer request for Ethiopia
Is there something you would like us to pray for in Ethiopia? Tell us, and we will pray with you. You choose whether we may publish it or keep it private.