By Danjuma Amodu | February 17, 2026
The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, has announced that Nigeria will observe the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The announcement follows the sighting of the crescent moon in multiple locations in Nigeria.
In a broadcast, the Sultan, who is also the president of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), felicitated Muslims on the forthcoming Ramadan fast and prayed that Allah spares their lives to participate in the exercise and reap its benefits.
The Ramadan crescent has already been sighted in Saudi Arabia and other countries worldwide. During the month, Muslims will fast from dawn to dusk, abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations to achieve greater consciousness of Allah.
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, and Muslims are expected to observe it for 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the new crescent moon.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a period of fasting, prayer, and reflection. The start of Ramadan is marked by the sighting of the crescent moon, which signals the beginning of a month-long fast from dawn to dusk.
In Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, as the president of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), plays a key role in announcing the start of Ramadan.
