Katsina State has realised and distributed about N4.7 billion in Zakat to vulnerable residents, the Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Zakat and Waqf Board, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, has disclosed.
Yusuf made the announcement on Thursday during a two-day Social Protection Technical Working Groups meeting in Kaduna, organised by the UNICEF Kano Field Office. The meeting brought together stakeholders from Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina to strengthen coordination and improve reporting of social protection interventions.
He said the initiative marks progress in reviving an Islamic social welfare system aimed at supporting the poor and fostering community solidarity.
“The board was established in 2017 to revive zakat and waqf administration, but only began full operations in 2024, The first year focused on mobilisation, sensitisation and establishing operational frameworks across local government areas,” he explained.
Yusuf added that the board recorded notable achievements in its second year despite being a relatively new institution. “Initial efforts focused on agricultural zakat, reflecting Katsina’s agrarian economy and the centrality of farming to livelihoods,” he said.
He explained that district committees were created to oversee zakat collection and distribution within communities. “Through these committees, over 86,000 bags of grain were collected and distributed to vulnerable households across the state. The grains were valued at collection, totalling more than N4.7 billion, and distributed to over 250,000 beneficiaries,” Yusuf said.
The executive secretary said distribution followed the Islamic principle of collecting zakat from the wealthy and supporting the needy within the same community. “The zakat was distributed directly within the communities where it was collected to reach those most in need,” he added.
Yusuf said the board maintained the value of agricultural zakat in 2025 while strengthening monitoring systems to enhance transparency and accountability. He also noted that collections have improved in 2026, with over 100,000 bags already gathered, representing about a 50 per cent increase.
He further disclosed that livestock zakat was recently introduced following a directive from Deputy Governor Alhaji Faruq Lawal-Jobe, with proceeds also distributed to vulnerable residents across the state.
Yusuf stressed that all collections and distributions are documented to ensure transparency and build public trust. “The initiative aims to alleviate poverty, support vulnerable families and strengthen community welfare across Katsina State,” he said.
NAN
