The Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, one of Nigeria’s leading charity agencies providing relief to both Muslims and non Muslims, has disbursed a total of ₦209.63 million in medical and educational support to beneficiaries as it officially launched its 2026 zakat distribution programme in Lagos.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, announced the intervention on Thursday at a distribution ceremony held at Hajj Mabrur Hall, Anthony, Lagos, describing it as the beginning of a nationwide rollout of zakat support for the year.
He said the first phase of the intervention covered 64 medical beneficiaries who received ₦85.08 million for critical healthcare needs, while 67 students were supported with ₦19.55 million for educational assistance.
According to him, the Foundation had earlier disbursed food packs and cash support worth ₦105 million to more than 30,000 vulnerable families across Nigeria within the last two months, bringing total recent interventions to ₦209.63 million.
He explained that the programme reflects the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening healthcare access and educational opportunities for indigent Nigerians through structured zakat distribution.
He commended donors and partners for sustaining the initiative, saying their contributions continue to transform lives and strengthen community welfare.
“This distribution marks the beginning of our 2026 zakat cycle. It reflects our renewed commitment to reaching more vulnerable people with timely and impactful support,” he said.
Lagos State Coordinator explains batch distribution system
The Lagos State Coordinator of the Foundation, Hajia Khadijat Hussein Olalekan, described the exercise as a “mini distribution” focused on medical and educational needs.
She said beneficiaries were selected from applications already screened by the Foundation, noting that medical cases included surgeries and chronic health conditions while educational support covered tuition fees and learning equipment.
“We are doing this in batches because of the volume of applications. Medical and education are handled separately, and later we will support widows and orphans,” she said.
Hajia Hussein disclosed that about 100 beneficiaries were captured in the Lagos phase, with roughly 70 per cent receiving medical support and the rest benefiting from educational assistance.
According to her, approximately ₦20 million to ₦30 million was disbursed for medical cases, while about ₦10 million went into educational support, including provision of laptops for students with special needs.
The Lagos State Coordinator added that some funds are paid directly to hospitals to ensure accountability and prevent misuse, stressing that the system has been tightened to improve transparency.
She urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the assistance, noting that the programme exists because of the generosity of zakat donors across the country.
Beneficiaries recount relief, praise Foundation for lifesaving intervention
One of the beneficiaries, Miss Glorious Ogunleye, a Christian and student of Lagos State University of Science and Technology, said she was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a bone infection, and had received financial support for her treatment.
She expressed gratitude to the Foundation, saying the intervention gave her hope after months of uncertainty over medical bills.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Kasali Rasheedat, who is scheduled for hip replacement surgery, said she had struggled with severe hip pain since last year.
She said she was referred from Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital after multiple failed treatments and later approached the Foundation due to rising medical costs.
“We were asked to pay about ₦3.2 million initially, but it increased to ₦4 million. When we came here, we were not charged any money. I was given ₦2.5 million today,” she said, expressing gratitude for the intervention.
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