Prayer Times in Sokoto, Nigeria

Praying in Sokoto

Sokoto, in Nigeria's far northwest, is the spiritual capital of Nigerian Islam — a historic city of around 700,000 people that was the seat of the Sokoto Caliphate, one of the largest empires in African history. Founded by the scholar-reformer Usman dan Fodio in 1804, the caliphate shaped Islamic practice across West Africa, and the Sultan of Sokoto remains Nigeria's highest Islamic authority today.

The city's landmarks are its faith: the Sultan's palace, the Hubbare — the tomb of Shehu Usman dan Fodio, a place of pilgrimage — and the mosques where the caliphate's scholarly tradition continues. Sokoto is also one of Nigeria's hottest cities, sitting at the edge of the Sahel: April temperatures exceed 42°C, and the Dhuhr prayer at midday offers shade and rest from the fierce sun. At 13°N, prayer times are stable — Fajr near 5:20 AM, Maghrib around 6:40 PM — with the harmattan bringing cool, dusty dawns in winter. During Ramadan, Sokoto's old city glows: the palace area hosts communal iftars, and the night markets sell fura da nono and tuwo shinkafa to crowds that linger long after Taraweeh.

🧭 Qibla Direction from Sokoto

From Sokoto, Nigeria, the Qibla points 70.9° clockwise from true north — facing east-northeast (ENE). This is the great-circle bearing computed from Sokoto's coordinates (13.0059°, 5.2476°) to the Kaaba in Mecca (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E).

70.9° ENE

Hold your phone flat with a compass app: turn until the needle points 70.9° clockwise from north. Keep metal objects away for an accurate reading.

Sokoto — key facts

City

Sokoto, Nigeria

Coordinates

13.0059° N, 5.2476° E

Timezone

Africa/Lagos

Population

around 700,000 in the city

Notable mosque

Sokoto Central Mosque and the Hubbare complex

Landmark

The Sultan's palace and the Hubbare (Shehu's tomb)

Qibla direction

70.9° (ENE, east-northeast)

Calculation method

Muslim World League (default; changeable above)

Hijri date today

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Calculation method & data source

Times on this page are computed by the Aladhan prayer-times API (free, no key required) for Sokoto's coordinates (13.0059, 5.2476), using the Muslim World League method (method 3) by default. You can switch to another convention — Karachi, ISNA, Egypt, Makkah, Turkey (Diyanet), Singapore and more — with the dropdown above; your choice is remembered on this device.

Published timetables and local mosques in Sokoto may differ by a few minutes because they sometimes apply their own adjustments or a different method. When in doubt, follow your local mosque.

FAQs — prayer times in Sokoto

Which direction is the Qibla from Sokoto?

From Sokoto, the Qibla is 70.9° clockwise from true north — facing east-northeast (ENE). It is computed as the great-circle bearing from Sokoto's coordinates (13.0059°, 5.2476°) to the Kaaba in Mecca (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E).

What was the Sokoto Caliphate?

The Sokoto Caliphate, founded by Usman dan Fodio's jihad in 1804, was one of the largest empires in African history — at its height it covered much of what is now northern Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon. Sokoto remains the seat of the Sultan, Nigeria's highest Islamic authority, and the caliphate's legacy shapes Islamic practice across West Africa.

What calculation method is used for Sokoto prayer times?

This page uses the Muslim World League method by default, computed via the free Aladhan API from Sokoto's coordinates. You can switch to Karachi, ISNA, Egypt, Makkah, Turkey (Diyanet) and other methods with the dropdown above — your choice is saved on your device.

Why do these times differ slightly from my local mosque in Sokoto?

Mosques sometimes apply their own adjustments — a different calculation method, added safety minutes, or a fixed timetable. A difference of a few minutes is normal; when in doubt, follow your local mosque in Sokoto.