First district of the Church created in Guinea, West Africa

Historic meeting involves 162 Church members and sees new district’s first full-time missionaries sent out

12 April 2025, 3:01 p.m. MDT

Four men stand together, two from the Conakry Guinea District presidency and two from the Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission presidency. — Left to right, Côte d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission President Serge A. Zadi; his first counselor, Bebe D. Poda; Conakry Guinea District first counselor Jacques O. Nzimu; and Conakry Guinea District President Mohamed Doré take a picture on the day the district was organized in Conakry, Guinea, on March 30, 2025. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mary Richards is a reporter for the Church News

The first district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been created in the Republic of Guinea in West Africa.

On March 30, 162 members of the Church gathered in Conakry, Guinea, to be part of the historic meeting when the Conakry Guinea District was organized, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.

President Serge A. Zadi, president of the Côte d’Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission, which includes the country of Guinea, organized the district, calling Mohamed Doré as president and Jacques O. Nzimu as first counselor.

Members from three branches come to a special conference organizing the first district in Guinea, West Africa, on Sunday, March 30, 2025. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The new district comprises the Conakry 1st and 2nd branches and the Coyah Branch.

A district is a smaller version of a stake in areas where there are fewer Church members. Each district is made up of branches, and the leader is called a district president. A district can develop into a stake, explains ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Guinea borders the Atlantic Ocean and the countries of Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The country was formerly known as French Guinea and achieved independence in 1958. French is the official language, and more than 24 indigenous languages are also spoken.

Locator maps showing where Conakry, Guinea, is and where Guinea in West Africa is. — The first district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Republic of Guinea in West Africa was organized in Conakry, Guinea. | Church News graphic

The Africa Newsroom report explained that only about 8% of Guinea’s population identifies as Christian, so the formation of a new district is a testament to the growth of the Church in the country.

Before the Sunday meeting, nearly 40 youth, friends, leaders and full-time missionaries attended a Friday evening devotional. On Saturday, leadership training was held during the day, with a session of the conference that evening for adult members of the three branches.

Two new full-time missionaries were also recognized as the first to be sent out from the new district. Elder Néma Blo Goumou will serve in Nigeria, and Elder Mamady Joseph Condé will serve in Kenya.

The first branch in Guinea — the Conakry Branch — was organized on June 18, 2017. The month before, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Guinea, Senegal and Mali in the first ministry by an Apostle to those nations.