By Abdullahi Lukman
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has launched _EasyZakat_, a digital platform developed by Ummah Zakat Foundation (UZF).
The Foundation, which designed the App to make the collection and distribution of Zakat more transparent and efficient, also inaugurated its Board of Trustees at a ceremony in Abuja on Thursday.
The event which marked a major step toward using Islamic social financing to tackle poverty, improve healthcare, strengthen livelihoods, and support human capital development in Nigeria was attended by religious leaders, top public officials, development partners, and members of the diplomatic community.
The EasyZakat App was unveiled on behalf of the Sultan by His Royal Highness, Dr. Shehu Usman Chindo Yamusa III, Emir of Keffi.
Delivering the Sultan’s address, the Emir described Zakat as “not merely an act of charity” but a sacred obligation and a tool for social justice, wealth redistribution and the protection of the vulnerable.
Emir Yamusa said the establishment of UZF comes at a critical time, as it aligns Islamic principles with modern technology to improve service delivery.
According to him, the web and mobile platform will enable Muslims to fulfil their religious obligation with greater ease and confidence that contributions will reach those genuinely entitled to them.
He charged the new Board of Trustees to uphold integrity, accountability, sound governance and Shariah compliance, adding that technology should strengthen, not replace, the values of justice and compassion.
The Chairman of UZF and Emir of Argungu, His Royal Highness Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera, described the launch as a milestone in strengthening the institution of Zakat in Nigeria.
He said the impact of Zakat depends on public confidence in how contributions are managed, and that EasyZakat was designed as more than a payment app. “It is a governance, transparency and accountability platform,” he said.
According to the Chairman, the platform allows donors to securely calculate and pay zakat; track donations from contribution to beneficiary; access donation history through a personalised dashboard; and retrieve records for institutional reporting or tax purposes.
Emir Mera added that the Board will complement the technology with strong governance, beneficiary verification, financial oversight, Shariah guidance, and regular reporting.
He called on Muslims, philanthropists, financial institutions, development partners and government to support the initiative, noting that properly managed Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf can reduce poverty, empower women and youth, support widows and orphans, and improve access to education and healthcare.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, welcomed the initiative and urged the Foundation to align with existing government poverty alleviation and social protection programmes to maximize impact.
He stressed the need to expand implementation beyond urban centers to rural and hard-to-reach communities where poverty is most severe.
Also speaking, the Global Director of the D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme, Dr. Ado Jimada Gana Muhammad, said the vision is to leverage innovative Islamic financing to improve the health, wellbeing and livelihoods of poor Nigerians.
He cited Malaysia and other D-8 countries where organized Zakat administration has become effective for poverty alleviation, and said Nigeria can adapt similar models by combining technology, accountability and strong partnerships.
A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of the UZF Board of Trustees to provide strategic leadership, governance, oversight and accountability.
The Board Members are HRH Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera as Chairman while members are Dr. Nihinlola Mabogunje, Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo, Hon. Mustapha Umar Kunshe.
Others members are HRH Alhaji Isiaq Ayorinde Ajibola, Mrs. Umma Ayuba Musa, Dr. Jibril Abdullahi Salaudeen, Dr. Ado Jimada Gana Muhammad,and Prof. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji, while Dr. Mahmud Mustapha Zubair is the Secretary.
NatureNews notes that the EasyZakat platform provides secure, transparent and seamless collection, management and distribution of Zakat and it enables the donors to calculate obligations, make payments, and monitor how contributions are utilised.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that the initiative will expand access to Islamic social financing and strengthen national efforts to reduce poverty while improving health, education and livelihoods across Nigeria.
