By Nasser Kayanja
KAMPALA .Muslims whose qualifying wealth has reached at least Shs 2.4 million and remained above that threshold for one lunar year are now required to pay Zakat after the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) announced the 2026 Zakat Nisab.
Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must possess before Zakat, the compulsory annual alms, becomes obligatory. Once a person’s savings, business stock, cash and other qualifying assets reach or exceed the Nisab and remain above that threshold for a full Islamic lunar year, they are required to give 2.5 percent of that wealth as Zakat.
In the announcement, Sheikh Abdulbarri Muhammad Kaloozi , Head of the Zakat and Swadaqa Department at UMSC, said the Nisab was calculated using the prevailing market values of gold and silver.
“The gold Nisab is equivalent to 85 grams of gold valued at Shs 40,536,500, while the silver Nisab is equivalent to 595 grams of silver valued at Shs 2,391,900. Based on these values, the current Zakat Nisab is Shs 2,400,000,” Sheikh Kaloozi said.
He explained that any Muslim whose qualifying wealth reaches or exceeds the threshold and has remained in their possession for one lunar year is obligated to pay Zakat at a rate of 2.5 percent. Sheikh Kaloozi described Zakat as one of the five pillars of Islam, saying it serves to purify wealth, promote social solidarity and support vulnerable members of society.
Quoting the Holy Qur’an (9:103), Sheikh Kaloozi said, “Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke blessings upon them.” He added that Zakat is both an act of worship and a means of redistributing wealth to those in need.
Sheikh Kaloozi urged eligible Muslims to fulfil their obligation through the council’s official Zakat collection channels or by depositing their contributions into the UMSC Zakat Account at Diamond Trust Bank. He also encouraged those seeking guidance on calculating or paying Zakat to contact the Zakat and Swadaqa Department at the UMSC headquarters in Old Kampala.