Tajudeen Balogun
Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Shuaib Afolabi Salis, has advocated a centralized Zakat collection and distribution platform, so as to make effects of the spiritual act more impactful in the society.
Senator Salis made the advocacy, while speaking at The Companion, an association of Muslim men in business and the professions, 2025/1446AH Zakat Distribution exercise, on Sunday.
The lawmaker recalled that just like the way The Companion spearheaded the commission of Muslim community which led to the establishment of the Muslim Welfare Funds (MUWELF) and founding of Muslim in South West of Nigeria (MUSWEN), it should replicate the same effort, to create a network for Zakat fund in Nigeria.
Senator Salis who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Security, stressed that instead of having duplication of Zakat collection and distribution organisations, there is the need to have a bigger frontier – creating a system, where advocacy would be made to the authority of the need to give tax relief to the Zakat paying organizations and individuals, just as it is done to corporate organizations.
While responding to journalists during an interview at the event, the Ogun Senator who affirmed that Zakat is like a social security, maintained that it was high time The Companion collaborated with other organizations, to create a bigger basket of Zakat collection and distribution, so as to attain more reach and benefit more Nigerians.
Senator Salis, who was the Chairman of the occasion, disclosed that Zakat distribution is classified into business support – a level which involved strengthening the capacity of the beneficiaries, making them to advance from being collectors to donors.
The second category, he stated, is the applicants who are in need or in emergency situations, be it medical or upkeep, adding that third category is to invest in promotion of academic excellence, citing the instance of an applicant, Dr Fatai Azeez in last year’s distribution exercise.
According to him, Dr Azeez’s PhD was almost truncated, but he was salvaged when he applied and after being successful at the panel level, his request was granted, hence, successfully finished his abandoned Doctorate programme.
Senator Salis urged the beneficiaries to transit from being Zakat collectors to wealth creators – utilize the money given to them effectively, adding that if need be, they could collaborate, as well as be willing to make available, the records of how their business is fairing to the banks and other financial institutions, for the purpose of verification and applying for loans.
- Erotic Monday Night: One good turn deserves a round of sex, by Tiwa Says
- Court remands woman for allegedly posting victims’ pornographic videos
- Security operatives rescue three kidnapped victims in Kogi
- Court remands woman for allegedly posting victims’ phonographic videos
- NELFUND disburses April upkeep payment to students
Similarly, while noting that The Companion Zakat Foundation has become a platform through which people with capacity donate their wealth for distribution, Senator Salis said he looks forward to proper documentation of the distribution, for presentation to his colleagues in the Senate and getting their consent to key into the scheme – for more collection.
“Zakat is the most equitable, effective and efficient way of wealth distribution, which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration” affirmed the Federal lawmaker.
On survival of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprise, amidst cyber crimes, Salis disclosed that his Committee had a roundtable session with the stakeholders in ICT sector, last week, and the conclusion was that people should take responsibility for personal security.
He said: “There is a need for capacity building and awareness by ICT organisations. Members of the organization should be trained on what to do to safeguard themselves when confronted with the cyber security challenges.
“When infractions happen in the cyber security space, report to the security agencies to curb the criminally-minded individuals, who plot to use the same tools to develop the country’s socio-economic sector, against business and undermine the country’s security.
“There is the Police Cyber Crimes centre, the office of National Security Adviser – which has Cyber Security Coordinating centre; there are similar organisations and arrangements, where people can be advised on how best to deal with every security challenge.”
Senator Salis declared: “for MSMEs, ICT remains the best path to market and the means to reach both local and global markets”.
Responding to newsmen after his lecture, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Ustadh Zikrullah Hassan, replied that the huge difference between The Companion’s Zakat Collection last year and this year is a pointer to integrity and good rating of the organization by the potential donors, expressing hope that the figure next year would be in excess of N200 million.
The Eagleonline reports that over N119 million was collected by the organization in 2025/1446AH business year.
Moving forward, the former NAHCON boss, who delivered lecture titled: “Zakat: Purifying Wealth, Uplifting Society” indicated that the group would encourage people who are wealthy to pay Zakat and push for how the Zakat could be used to seek for tax relief, in computation, given the prevailing standard practice.
Ustadh Hassan also affirmed that Zakat is a social security, just as it bridges the gap between the poor and rich in the society, adding that those who pay Zakat should consider the gesture as their input to reduce the tension in the country.
While reiterating that Zakat purifies wealth and attracts additional blessings, Ustadh Hassan warned against “commercial begging” or series Zakat Collection, the inherent dangers, calling on beneficiaries to utilize the collections effectively, such that by next year, they would also relate good testimony – of positive impacts of Zakat in their lives and how they have also impacted on the society.
Speaking ahead of the Zakat distribution, The Companion National Naibul Amir, who doubles as the Chairman, The Companion Zakat Foundation, Imam Nojeem Jimoh informed that in the aspiration of the group to advance its fund, it has recruited a CEO and Executive Secretary, revealing that the team has been given the target of over N200 million as collection in 2026/1447 edition.
He disclosed that out of the received applications for Business Support, only one was outstanding, during the interview session and the beneficiary was being supported with the sum of N750,000.
The National Naibul Amir indicated that apart from the newly recruited career officers, members of the National Zakat Committee has since been discharging their responsibilities ‘pro-bono’, praying Allah to reward them abundantly.
Speaking in the same vein, Lagos District Amir, Alhaji Abdul Kabir Olayiwola Baruwa, in his welcome address indicated that over N100 million was collected as Zakat for the year, informing that out of over 600 applicants nationwide, 300 were recorded by the District.
While thanking the donours, Alhaji Baruwa indicated that The Companion Zakat is targeted to be an intervention for business support, business empowerment, scholarship for indigent students and upkeep for those who are in need.
He called for judicious use of the collection, in order for the desire of Zakat distribution to be substantially fulfilled.
The Companion National Amir, Engr. Kamil Olalekan in his goodwill message, said this year’s success (Zakat Collection) has placed a further responsibility on the organization, to sustain the performance and even surpass it, pledging that the group would not relent.
Engr Olalekan stated: “We have taken measures in this direction. We are in the process of incorporating The Companion Zakat & Sadaqah Foundation as an institution with full time management staff to focus on Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf operation. We are also using this opportunity to call on governments at all levels to take more proactive steps to reduce poverty level and minimise the widening gap between the rich and the poor in the society.
“The recent report released by the World Bank indicated that only 5.6 million households representing 37% of the targeted poor and vulnerable households have received at least one tranche of direct conditional cash transfers since the programme started in 2023. The bank called on the government to redouble and expand the efforts to urgently provide support to the poorest and most economically at-risk households”.
Following this, he called on the government to consider involving Zakat and Sadaqah operators in the process, in order to fast track the efforts instead of total reliance on the government bureaucratic machinery.
The symbolic presentation was graced by leaders and members of the group, as well as its women’s wing, The Criterion – an association of Muslim women in business and the professions.
In the list were: former BoT Chairman, Alhaji F.B Ali-Oluwafuyi, former National Amir The Companion, Barr Musbau Oyefeso, his Criterion counterpart, Alhaja Monsurah Ali-Oluwafuyi, Lagos District Amirah of The Criterion, Alhaja Maryam Shabah, among others.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
