The Association of Zakat and Waqf Operators in Nigeria (AZAWON) led by Malam Muhammad Lawal Maidoki (Sadaukin Sakkwato), and Messrs Tawfeek Badjenid & Partners (TBP) of Malaysia under the headship of Prof. ADJ. Dato Sheikh Mohammed Tawfeek Sheikh Hassan Badjenid DSPN, DJN, PJK, have signed a strategic Letter of Intent (LOI) during the World Zakat and Waqf Forum 2025 held in Kuching, Sarawak.
The agreement marks a new phase of collaboration between the two organizations to promote Sharia-compliant management, transparency, and sustainability in administering Zakat and Waqf resources. It also aims to enhance socio-economic development in Muslim communities through effective legal structuring, institutional capacity building, and impactful project implementation.
Under the LOI, TBP, a leading Malaysian legal firm with over three decades of experience in Islamic finance, Waqf structuring, and trust law, will provide legal and technical expertise to develop standardized frameworks and governance instruments for Nigerian Zakat and Waqf institutions. AZAWON, on its part, will leverage its grassroots network and institutional reach to implement projects across Nigeria and other West African countries.
Speaking during the signing, Malam Muhammad Lawal Maidoki emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating that “this collaboration represents a significant step toward globalizing the management of Zakat and Waqf for the benefit of the Ummah.” Prof. Dato Sheikh Mohammed Tawfeek Sheikh Hassan Badjenid described the agreement as “a bridge between nations that share a vision for transparent, accountable, and impactful Islamic social finance systems.”
Both parties agreed to focus on legal and regulatory structuring of Waqf and Zakat systems, capacity building through workshops and training, strategic advisory for Cash, Corporate, and Institutional Waqf projects, and the joint development of community-based initiatives in education, healthcare, and economic empowerment.
The LOI, which will remain valid for six months, may later be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This milestone highlights AZAWON’s continued commitment to building international partnerships for the sustainable advancement of Islamic social finance and the development of the global Ummah.