Full List of 10 Influential Muslim Leaders in Nigeria in 2026
- Legit.ng profiles Nigeria's 10 most influential Islamic leaders shaping the Muslim community
- Key figures include Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar and Sheikh Bala Lau, promoting Islamic teachings and social change
- The article highlights diverse leaders, from Salafi to Shia, impacting Nigeria's religious landscape
Islam is one of the major religions in Nigeria, accounting for a significant portion of the country’s population.
Legit.ng profiles the most influential Islamic leaders in the country, highlighting figures who shape political, religious, and social life across Nigeria’s Muslim community.
Source: Twitter
In gathering data and compiling nominations, we sought to maintain balance.
It is noteworthy that many gifted and impactful preachers have served faithfully and, in terms of influence, may have reached even more people than those listed here.
With this in mind, Legit.ng presents the 10 most influential Nigerian Muslim leaders as of 2026.
Based on media presence and their ability to spark conversation, challenge the status quo, and inspire change, this list highlights Nigeria’s top Muslim leaders, in no particular order.
1) JIBWIS leader - Sheikh Bala Lau
Abdullahi Bala Lau, popularly known as Sheikh Balalau, is a prominent Islamic preacher in the north.
Lau is the national chairman of the Jama'atu Izalatul Bidi'ah wa Ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), considered in some quarters as the largest Salafi movement in Nigeria, since December 2011.
2) Shia cleric - Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky
Zakzaky is an outspoken and prominent Shia leader in Nigeria.
Under the umbrella of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Zakzaky commands a vast and devoted following.
3) Sultan of Sokoto - Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar
Abubakar is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto.
As head of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Abubakar is considered the spiritual leader of the country's Muslims.
4) Mudir Markaz - Sheikh Habibullah Al-Ilory
Sheikh Habibullah is the head of Markaz Agege Arabic and Islamic Training Centre, Lagos.
He is the son of the late Sheikh Adam Abdullah Al-Ilory, a revered Nigerian Islamic scholar, author, and education reformer who played a leading role in the modernisation of Islamic education in the country.
5) Al-Madeenah Centre - Sheikh Sharaf Gbadebo
Sheikh Sharaf Gbadebo Raji is a recipient of the prestigious Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding.
In Southern Nigeria, Sheikh Sharaf is a respected Islamic scholar and jurist.
He shares his knowledge through lectures, dawah projects (Islamic missionary work), radio, television, and online platforms. His expertise is frequently sought by the governments of Arab countries for Arabic-to-Yoruba translations, and he remains an active scholar and preacher in Ogbomoso, where he leads the Al-Madeenah Centre.
An indigene of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Sharaf received a scholarship to study at the African Islamic Centre (African International University) in Sudan in 1987, excelling academically and earning recognition as the best student. This led to further scholarship opportunities at Medina University, Saudi Arabia, where he specialised in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). He graduated with first-class honours and earned a master's degree scholarship. His master's thesis, 'Ruling Relating to Addition in Worship,' was published by the university. He later completed his PhD in Fiqh, resulting in another publication.
6) National Mosque’s Imam - Ilyas Tochukwu Usman
In 2024, history was made at the Abuja National Mosque when Professor Iliyasu Usman, the first-ever Igbo Muslim to be appointed as an Imam of the mosque, delivered his inaugural khutbah (sermon) during the Jumu’ah prayer.
Sheikh Usman’s appointment as Imam of the Abuja National Mosque was widely celebrated by the Muslim community, particularly by the South East Muslim Organisation of Nigeria (SEMON).
7) Qadriyyah leader - Sheikh Qaribullah Nasir Kabara
Sheikh Muhammad Nasir Kabara, 67, is the leader of the Qadriyyah Sufi Movement in Nigeria and the West African region. He became the Khalifa in 1996 after the death of his father, Sheikh Muhammad Nasir Kabara.
With adherents stretching from Chad basin to the Senegambia, the Qadriyyah Tariqa is deemed the most focused concentration of Sufi adherents in post-colonial Africa.
8) Kaduna cleric - Sheikh Ahmad Gumi
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been actively speaking on several critical national issues, particularly regarding insecurity, foreign intervention, and the welfare of pastoralists. Some people consider Gumi controversial.
The former military officer is the current Mufti and Mufassir (a scholar who specialises in interpreting, explaining, and providing commentary on the Qur'an) at the Sultan Bello Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the city of Kaduna, in Kaduna State.
9) Ansar-Ud-Deen leader - Sheikh Abdul Rahman Ahmad
Ahmad is a prominent Nigerian Islamic scholar, serving as the national missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and overseas.
For years, he has been recognised as a leader in propagating Islam, particularly in the southwestern part of Nigeria, and often speaks on topics related to Ramadan, family life, and moral upbringing.
10) Sheikh Farooq Onikijipa
Onikijipa is an Ilorin-born Islamic preacher who is frequently chosen to deliver lectures at high-profile Islamic events.
He is closely associated with the Al-Amaani Islamic Organisation of Nigeria, also known as the Al-Amani Islamic Centre, where he serves as the founder, spiritual leader, and general overseer.
Source: Legit.ng
