As economic pressures continue to squeeze households across Nigeria, a prominent Lagos Muslim community has turned to faith-based social finance to provide an economic lifeline for the vulnerable.

The Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) has distributed ₦225 million in zakat proceeds to more than 400 beneficiaries, deliberately shifting its focus from temporary cash relief toward long-term entrepreneurship to combat the country’s deepening poverty crisis.

Speaking at the 2026 Zakat Disbursement Programme at the Lekki Central Mosque on Saturday, the Chief Imam, Lekki Central Mosque, Dr. Ridwan Jamiu, urged wealthy Muslims to look closer to home when distributing charity, referencing the age-long maxim that charity begins at home.

The cleric noted that prioritising impoverished extended relatives is a key religious obligation that simultaneously strengthens the social fabric.

“This not only fulfils a divine command but also strengthens family bonds while promoting broader social welfare.” He clarified, however, that direct dependants such as wives and children are excluded from receiving zakat, as they are already entitled to statutory financial maintenance.

“If you have needy relatives such as uncles, aunts, cousins, or siblings, they can receive your zakat,” Dr. Jamiu said.

The yearly intervention comes at a critical juncture for many Nigerians, who are currently grappling with severe inflationary pressures, unemployment, and systemic security challenges.

Chairman of the LEMU Zakat Committee and a member of the community’s Board of Trustees, Alhaji Yunus Saliu, observed that the ballooning number of people in need has turned the yearly disbursement into an essential economic safety net.

“We have a growing population of people in need in Nigeria because of economic, social, and security challenges,” Saliu said.

Despite the wider economic downturn, this year’s collection witnessed a significant 37 per cent increase, rising from ₦160 million last year to ₦225 million. Alhaji Saliu attributed the growth to heightened public confidence and transparency within the LEMU administrative structure.

However, the sheer scale of the domestic poverty crisis was evident in the numbers: the committee received over 3,000 applications, but could only accommodate roughly 400 beneficiaries after a rigorous screening process aided by women volunteers.

The President of LEMU, Dr. Abdul Ghani Labinjo, stated that the organization is deliberately pivoting away from temporary relief toward a sustainable, business-growth model.

To achieve this, the 2026 cohort received high-value asset tools alongside business mentorship and skills training. Beneficiaries were supplied with laptops for digital workers, motorcycles for logistics entrepreneurs, and industrial manufacturing and tailoring equipment.

“Zakat is a poverty alleviation framework in Islam designed to promote economic stability and reduce inequality,” Dr. Labinjo said, emphasizing that effective execution is critical to moving vulnerable citizens from dependency to self-reliance.

For many of the recipients, the intervention represents a definitive turning point for their small businesses. Halimah Ayoyemi, a local fashion designer who received an industrial weaving machine, explained how the asset would immediately lower her operational costs.

“I requested an industrial weaving machine because most of the jobs I handle require sewing and weaving. Previously, I spent a lot of money outsourcing those services, and the profit was usually very small,” Ayoyemi said.

Praising the transparency of the selection process, she added: “This equipment will help me handle more jobs efficiently and improve my income. I want to say a very big thank you, Jazakumullahu khair, to the organisers. May Allah replenish their pockets.”