The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has officially announced that the 2026 Eid-el-Fitr celebrations will commence on Friday.
The declaration follows the non-sighting of the crescent moon (Shawwal 1447AH) on Wednesday evening, which marked the 29th day of the holy month of Ramadan.
Consequently, the Sultanate Council, in coordination with the National Moon Sighting Committee, has mandated that Thursday, March 19, 2026, shall serve as the 30th day of Ramadan to complete the lunar cycle.
In a statement issued by Sambo Wali Junaidu, the Sultanate Council confirmed that no verified reports of the Shawwal 1447AH crescent were received from any part of Nigeria on Wednesday.
The Sultan called on Muslims across the country to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity and continued progress in Nigeria as they celebrate the end of the holy month of fasting
