Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation has disbursed a total of N735,831,356 to 2,916 beneficiaries across 28 states in its 2026 Zakat distribution cycle, concluding with a major intervention in Lagos State wher N516,974,947 was shared among 1,756 beneficiaries.
The disbursement represents a 55.7 per cent increase over the N472,700,552 distributed to 2,821 beneficiaries in 2025, according to figures released by the Foundation. The average value of assistance per beneficiary also rose by about 50.6 per cent, from approximately N167,568 in 2025 to N252,343 in 2026. The Lagos distribution ceremony, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Alausa, Ikeja, marked the formal close of the 2026 cycle and brought together Zakat payers, beneficiaries, Islamic scholars, community leaders and corporate executives.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, attributed the growth to the increasing confidence of Zakat payers and the Foundation's expanding capacity to convert contributions into meaningful interventions. He said the allocation reflected a deliberate strategy to address immediate needs while giving beneficiaries the means to become self-reliant. "Economic empowerment remains particularly important because it provides beneficiaries with opportunities to become self-reliant, establish sustainable livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to the economy," Olagunju said. He added that medical support enabled vulnerable people to access essential healthcare, while education interventions were designed to help deserving beneficiaries pursue their educational aspirations.
A breakdown of the disbursement showed that economic empowerment received the largest allocation, accounting for N426,689,837 of the total. Medical support followed with N128,965,442, while N54,822,656 was allocated to education. Other beneficiaries received assistance for accommodation, community development projects, debt relief and support for the elderly. In Lagos alone, economic empowerment topped the sectors with 1,040 beneficiaries receiving cash and equipment totalling N276,326,033. Medical support ranked second with 149 beneficiaries receiving N112,281,837, while education support ranked third with 362 beneficiaries receiving N37,765,656. Institutional support received N28,680,500.
The 2026 cycle commenced on June 23 with the International Widows' Day commemoration, when N37,035,000 was distributed to 185 widows for economic empowerment and medical support. A physically challenged man, Usman AbdulRazaq, 51, was among the beneficiaries in Lagos. An indigent Kogi indigene, AbdulRazaq received an industrial sewing machine to aid his shoe and leather business during the 22nd Zakat Distribution ceremony organised by the Foundation.
Professor Tajudeen Yusuf, Chairman of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, described Zakat as more than charity, saying it plays a vital role in redistributing wealth, reducing economic inequality and preserving human dignity. He said the Foundation had remained committed for more than two decades to the transparent collection and equitable distribution of Zakat to those in need. Olagunju said the figures should be viewed beyond their monetary value. "These figures are not merely statistics. They represent more families supported, more livelihoods strengthened, more medical needs addressed and more people given an opportunity to live with dignity and hope," he said.
The scale and structure of the intervention attracted commendation from corporate stakeholders. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lotus Bank, Dr Isiaka Ajani-Lawal, served as Chairman of the occasion, while MTN Nigeria's Chief Finance Officer, Modupe AbdulKareem Kadri, attended as a special guest. Kadri said Zakat could play a greater role in addressing poverty when properly targeted, noting that more organisations' involvement in Zakat collection and distribution could contribute significantly to poverty reduction in the country. "As long as the interventions are targeted, and because there are eight categories for distributing Zakat, they have been deliberate and intentional in focusing on economic empowerment," he said. He urged beneficiaries to trust in Allah, pray for blessings on the support they receive, and develop the intention to assist others when they become financially capable.
The 2026 distribution marks a significant expansion in the Foundation's operations. The Foundation has disbursed more than N5 billion in Zakat and Sadaqat within the past 25 years, touching the lives of over 100,000 beneficiaries. Beyond the annual Zakat distribution, the Foundation also runs a Ramadan food support programme that distributed food packs valued at over N105 million to more than 20,000 indigent individuals and families across 28 states in 2026. Earlier in the year, the Foundation disbursed N2.5 million to orphans and less-privileged people in Zamfara State as part of its educational support and business start-up empowerment programme, and N42,948,414 worth of equipment and cash to empower widows and the needy in Osun State. In Kwara State, over N20 million was raised as Zakat in 2026, with 84 applicants benefiting from the disbursement in Ilorin.
The Foundation's interventions span a wide range of needs. In Abeokuta, N51 million in cash and materials was distributed to 74 beneficiaries, including widows and students. In Lagos, N37.035 million was disbursed to 185 widows as part of activities marking the 2026 International Widows' Day, with beneficiaries receiving empowerment items including deep freezers. The Foundation has also extended support to educational initiatives, healthcare, debt relief and accommodation for the vulnerable.
Olagunju said the Foundation's objective was not simply to distribute funds but to ensure that Zakat generated measurable and lasting social impact. He said the growing confidence of Zakat payers and the Foundation's commitment to transparency had been central to its expansion. "These figures represent more families supported, more livelihoods strengthened, more medical needs addressed and more people given an opportunity to live with dignity and hope," he said. For the 2,916 beneficiaries across 28 states, the 2026 disbursement represents more than financial assistance. It represents the fulfilment of a religious obligation and the promise of a new beginning. As the Foundation closes its 2026 cycle and prepares for the year ahead, its leaders have signalled that the focus will remain on economic empowerment, education and medical support, the three pillars that have defined its most ambitious year yet.
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