Breaking: Sultan Says No Crescent Sighted, Ramadan Continues Nationwide

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has announced that the Shawwal crescent was not sighted anywhere in Nigeria on Wednesday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

As a result, he declared that Friday, March 20, 2026, will be observed as Eid-el-Fitr across the country.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Sultanate Council’s Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, in collaboration with the National Moon Sighting Committee.

According to the statement, signed by the committee’s chairman, Sambo Wali Junaidu, no verified reports were received confirming the sighting of the crescent moon on Wednesday, March 18, which marked the 29th day of Ramadan.

Based on this, Muslims in Nigeria are expected to continue fasting on Thursday, March 19, completing 30 days of Ramadan in line with Islamic tradition.

The committee stated that Thursday would be observed as the final day of Ramadan 1447AH, following the guidelines of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Acting on the report, the Sultan, who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, approved Friday as the first day of Shawwal 1447AH, marking the celebration of Eid-el-Fitr.

This decision aligns with a similar announcement in Saudi Arabia, where authorities also confirmed that the Shawwal crescent was not sighted, leading to the declaration of Friday as Eid.

The timing of Eid-el-Fitr is traditionally determined by the sighting of the new moon, which signals the end of the Ramadan fasting period.

Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, requires Muslims to abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn to dusk, while also encouraging acts of charity and compassion toward the less privileged.

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