The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has restated its commitment to strengthening Qur’anic education and related developmental initiatives in Nigeria.
This pledge was made on Tuesday by Mr. Saad bin Fahd Al-Marri, Chargé d’Affaires of the Saudi Embassy in Abuja, at the closing ceremony of the National Competition for the Memorisation and Interpretation of the Holy Qur’an.
The annual competition was jointly organised by the Religious Attaché Office of the Saudi Embassy and the Center for Islamic Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
Al-Marri noted that the competition reflects Saudi Arabia’s “ongoing and leading role in serving the Holy Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah,” while praising the Religious Attaché Office for its consistent contributions to religious and educational development in Nigeria.
He highlighted several flagship initiatives championed by the Kingdom, including the global printing and distribution of the Noble Qur’an, as well as the organisation of major Qur’anic contests in memorisation, recitation, tajwīd and interpretation at local, regional, and international levels.
The well-attended ceremony concluded with the recognition of winners who excelled in various categories, earning praise for the high standard of organisation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the event was attended by former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Pantami, senior government officials, scholars, and academics. The Acting Religious Attaché of the Embassy, Mr. Yahya Al-Sufyani, was also present.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the announcement of prizes worth a total of ₦35 million, donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition, the top winners were awarded an opportunity to perform Hajj free of charge under the “Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Programme for Hajj and Umrah”—a gesture underscoring Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting Muslims worldwide.
NAN further reported that contestants from Gombe State dominated several top positions, including Aisha Muhammad Bello, who won first place in the 60 Hizb female category, as well as Nasiru Abubakar and Sumayya Adamu, who both clinched first place in the 40 Hizb category.
