Breaking: Sultan’s Rep Officially Announces Start of Ramadan 2026 in Nigeria, Video Trends
- Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the leader of Muslims in Nigeria, has declared February 18 as the commencement of the 2026 Ramadan fasting through a representative
- Abubakar made the announcement on Tuesday night, February 17, in a telecast monitored by Legit.ng
- Muslims worldwide consider the holy month of Ramadan as a period of immense reward and spiritual cleansing
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering religious activities in Nigeria and worldwide.
Sokoto, Sokoto State - The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin, has declared Wednesday, February 18, 2026, as the first day of Ramadan 1447AH.
Legit.ng reports that Al-Amin said the declaration was based on the sighting of the moon in major parts of the country earlier on Tuesday, February 17, which is the 29th day of the month of Shaban and thereby signifies February 18 as the first day of Ramadan 1447.
Source: Facebook
Shehu of Borno announces Ramadan 2026
Al-Amin represented Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), who is currently outside Nigeria. For the past 20 years, it has been the Sultan of Sokoto who has been issuing the announcement of the Ramadan moon sighting.
Shehu of Borno said:
“We got the information from Muslim leaders across the country, and we accept the sighting of the moon accordingly."
The monarch therefore urged the entire Muslim community in the country to begin the Ramadan fast from the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, February 18, in accordance with Islamic teachings.
The trending X video can be watched below:
Before the Shehu of Borno's announcement, the Sultanate confirmed receiving reports of Ramadan crescent sightings from three locations across Nigeria.
In a statement, Umar Jubril Simwal, an ally of the Sultan of Sokoto and a prominent member of the National Moonsighting Committee, said the reported sightings were verified by authorities in the respective areas.
Importance of holy month of Ramadan
In an exclusive chat with Legit.ng, Abu Juwayriyyah Mukhtar Olayinka, a-Lagos -based Islamic teacher, spoke on the virtues of Ramadan.
He said:
"It (Ramadan) is one of the pillars of Islam, and Allah the Most High prioritises the deeds that He has made obligatory.
"Besides that, there is a prophetic narration where Allah Almighty said, 'Except for fasting, as it is for Me and I will reward it.'
"All of the acts of worship we do as Muslims, it is Allah who rewards for it. So, why has Allah singled out this act of worship and said 'it is for Me, and I will be the one to reward you for it'? This already indicates that the reward in this act of worship cannot be compared to the rewards in others. Because the reward here will definitely be multiplied manifold."
Source: Twitter
Read more about Ramadan 2026:
- Ramadan 2026: Jubilation as Nigerian governor rolls out N1bn for feeding for 34,000 daily meals
- Ramadan 2026: List of countries that have officially confirmed the first day of fasting
- List of countries that have announced start of Ramadan 2026
Ramadan: When couples can make love
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Prof Sherifdeen Kareem, the Imam of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta Mosque in Ogun state, disclosed that Muslim couples can have intimacy during Ramadan, but only after their fast for the day has ended.
The religious leader stated that unmarried couples are strictly restricted, maintaining that only legally married couples are allowed to copulate between the hour of breaking the fast and taking the pre-dawn meal (Maghrib and Solatul Subhi) during the Ramadan period.
Source: Legit.ng
