Sultan Declares Wednesday First Day of Ramadan

The Sultanate Council has announced that the fasting period for Ramadan 1447AH will commence on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, following the sighting of the new crescent.

The declaration was made after the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, working alongside the National Moonsighting Committee, received and verified reports of the moon’s sighting from various committees across the country on Tuesday, February 17.

In a statement issued by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs and Wazirin Sokoto, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, approved the reports and formally proclaimed Wednesday as the first day of Ramadan.

The Sultan extended his goodwill to Muslims nationwide, urging them to use the holy month as a period of prayers for peace, unity, and national development. He also prayed for the acceptance of the faithful’s acts of worship throughout the sacred period.

Although the Sultan is currently outside the country, a senior member of the committee disclosed that a formal public pronouncement would be made shortly by the Shehu of Borno, who serves as Deputy President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.