The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Muslims across Nigeria to begin searching for the crescent moon that will mark the end of Ramadan and the start of Shawwal.
The call was made in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Sultanate Council of Sokoto and signed by the Wazirin Sokoto and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sambo Wali Junaidu.
According to the statement, Wednesday, 18 March 2026, corresponding to the 29th day of Ramadan 1447AH, has been designated for the sighting of the Shawwal crescent.
“The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, urges Muslims throughout the country to look out for the new moon of Shawwal on Wednesday, March 18, 2026,” the statement said.
It instructed that any Muslim who sights the crescent should report it to the nearest District or Village Head, who will relay the information to the Sultanate Council for verification.
“Muslims who sight the new moon should report the sighting to the nearest District or Village Head, who will in turn communicate the information to His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, for further announcement,” the council added.
The Sultanate Council also provided dedicated telephone lines for reporting verified moon sightings directly to the Sultan’s office: 0803 715 7100, 0806 630 3077, 0803 596 5322, 0803 594 5903, and 0706 714 6900.
The sighting of the Shawwal crescent marks the conclusion of the month-long Ramadan fast and signals the celebration of Eid al-Fitr by Muslims nationwide. As the spiritual leader of Muslims in Nigeria, the Sultan traditionally announces the start and end of Ramadan after verified sightings, determining the official date for Eid prayers and festivities.
