LDS Africa

The Church organized a new stake in Abidjan on December 3rd. The Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire Niangon Centre Stake was organized from a division of the Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire Niangon North Stake and the Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire Niangon South Stake. It is unclear what wards are assigned to the new stake. There were 25 wards in the two original stakes prior to the creation of the new stake. The Church has experienced rapid growth in the Yopougon sector of Abidjan as new stakes have been organized in this area of the city in 1997, 2010, 2014, and 2015. Furthermore, the 20th anniversary of the creation of the first stake in Abidjan was recently held.

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The Church organized a new stake in Freetown on December 3rd. The Freetown Sierra Leone East Stake was created from a division of the Freetown Sierra Leone Stake, marking the first time the Church in Sierra Leone has organized a new stake from the division of a previously operating stake. Organized as the Church’s 3,000th stake and the first stake in Sierra Leone back in December 2012, the Freetown Sierra Leone Stake had 11 wards and three branches prior to the division of the stake. Information on which congregations are assigned to the new stake remains unavailable. Never has the Church ever grown in a country from one stake to five stakes as quickly as in Sierra Leone. Four of the five stakes in the country were organized in 2017. Additional new stakes in Sierra Leone appear likely to be organized in the new future based upon missionary reports.

Source: LDS Church Growth

The Church organized its first district in northern Mozambique on October 22nd. The Nampula Mozambique District was created from three branches that operate in the city of Nampula. Two of these branches (Murrapaniua and Mutauanha) were organized at the same time that the new district was created. Moreover, a couple new member groups were also recently organized in northern Mozambique in Maratane and Nacala.

Source: LDS Church Growth

Cote d’Ivoire

The Church organized a new stake in Cote d’Ivoire on October 22nd. The Daloa Cote d’Ivoire Stake was organized from the Daloa Cote d’Ivoire District. Information on which of the eight branches in the former district that became wards remains unavailable. The Church organized its first six branches in Daloa in a single weekend in February 2014 – the most branches ever organized in a single weekend in a city where no official wards or branches previously operated. The Church organized branches in Daloa into their own district in April 2015 when the Yamoussoukro Cote d’Ivoire District became a stake. The period between the organization of the first official branch and the creation of the first stake in Daloa appears to be the shortest ever reported by the Church with the exception of the creation of stakes during the Mormon colonialism period in the Intermountain West during the 1800s.

DR Congo

The Church organized a new stake in Lubumbashi on October 22nd. The Ruashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake appeared to be organized from a division of the Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake. Information on which wards are assigned to the new stake remain unavailable.There are now four stakes in Lubumbashi, and 17 stakes and three districts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ghana

The Church organized a new stake in Ghana on October 22nd. The Abomosu Ghana Stake was organized from the Abomosu Ghana District. Information on which of the seven retained branches in the district became wards remains unavailable. Local missionaries reported that approximately 1,400 attended the special conference to organize the new stake. This is an impressive feat, especially for the Church’s first stake in Ghana that entirely services rural communities.

Nigeria

A new stake was organized in Akwa Ibom State on October 15th. The Etinan Nigeria North Stake was organized from the Etinan Nigeria North District. Information on which of the seven branches in the district became wards remains unavailable. The Church now reports 11 stakes and one district in Akwa Ibom State – a larger number of stakes than in nearly all other individual African countries except Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, and Cote d’Ivoire. Furthermore, the Etinan Nigeria North Stake was initially organized as a district from the Etinan Nigeria Stake in March 2016. Thus, the Etinan Nigeria North Stake may hold the record for the shortest period of time in which the Church has organized a stake from when a district was first organized.

Togo

The Church organized its second stake in the West African nation of Togo. The Lomé Togo Tokoin Stake was organized on October 22nd from a division of the original Lomé Togo Stake. Information on which of the 14 wards and three branches of the original Lomé Togo Stake are included in the new stake remain unavailable. The Church organized its first district in Togo in December 2009 and created its stake in Togo in December 2013.

Source: LDS Church Growth

The Church organized a new district in central Nigeria on July 16th. The Otukpo Nigeria District was organized from the Otukpo Branch – a former mission branch in the Nigeria Enugu Mission. Two new branches were also created at the same time that the district was organized. Thus, the new district includes the following three branches: the Otukpo 1st, Otukpo 2nd, and Otukpo 3rd Branches. The Otukpo Nigeria District is the Church’s first district to be organized in Benue State (population: 5.6 million).

Source: LDS Church Growth

The Church organized a new stake in Eastern Cape Province on July 9th. The Mdantsane South Africa Stake was organized from a division of the East London South Africa Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the East London 2nd, King Williams Town, Mdantsane 1st, Mdantsane 2nd, and Mdantsane 3rd Wards.

Source: LDS Church Growth

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.

Source: LDS Church Growth