Halal Times

Nigeria is targeting more than $12 billion in investment under its National Halal Economy Strategy, according to Leadership and The Guardian (Nigeria), both of which covered the Lagos Halal Leadership Reception on August 27, 2026. The committee was inaugurated March 3, 2026, per Leadership, and its secretariat has consolidated the rollout into 13 delivery clusters with defined milestones. Halal 360 and The Metropolitan Law Firm hosted the reception, Leadership reported.

Malaysia is courting Vietnamese businesses for the global halal supply chain, and one of the mechanics runs through certification. Malaysia’s halal regulator recognizes five Vietnamese certification bodies while only about 17 Vietnamese businesses are directly involved in the halal sector, according to interviews with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) reported by Vietnam News on 26 August 2026.

DES PLAINES, Ill. A shopper standing in a supermarket aisle has only moments to decide whether a package is acceptable. For many shoppers, the thing that settles it is a small crescent wrapped around the letter M. That mark belongs to the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America. IFANCA is a not-for-profit organization based in Des Plaines, Illinois, and states it has worked to promote halal since 1982. Its own description of the Crescent M is blunt.

Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan JSC, which describes itself as the country’s largest lender by total assets, has asked shareholders to authorise the bank to apply for an Islamic banking operations licence at an extraordinary general shareholders’ meeting scheduled for September 25, 2026. The meeting will run entirely by absent voting, with no in-person session, according to shareholder materials the bank published for the meeting and an announcement distributed through the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange.

The Bank of Ghana inaugurated a five-member Non-Interest Financial Advisory Council at Bank Square in Accra on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, according to Graphic Online. The council is chaired by Prof. Bashir Aliyu Umar, formerly a special advisor on non-interest banking to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor, and it begins work in a market that has yet to license a single non-interest bank. The Non-Interest Financial Advisory Council is a five-member body chaired by Prof.

Global sukuk market liquidity has moved back toward pre-war levels after a March trough, according to Fitch Ratings’ latest liquidity tracker. More than 75% of Fitch-rated sukuk carried a liquidity score above 50 as of 4 August 2026, up from 64% in late March 2026 and still trailing January 2026’s level of 81%, per Fitch Ratings. Fitch-rated sukuk carried a median liquidity score of 64 on 4 August 2026, rebounding from a trough of 55 in March 2026, according to Fitch Ratings.

Halal slaughter refers to the method of slaughter prescribed in Islamic law that makes meat permissible for Muslim consumption. The process requires a swift, deep cut with a sharp knife that severs the trachea, esophagus, and jugular veins, causing minimal pain and often rendering the animal unconscious within seconds. The person performing the slaughter must be a Muslim, Jew, or Christian, and a practicing Muslim must recite the name of Allah during the act.

Indonesia’s Deputy Trade Minister, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, told a trade forum in Jakarta on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, that the Middle East offers a substantial market for the country’s halal food and beverage products, according to Antara News.

Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health has added Kazakhstan’s KazStandart certification body to its Authorized List of Halal Bodies. Kazakh state broadcaster 24.kz, reporting on 12 August 2026, said the recognition gives Kazakh producers more openings to promote their goods abroad. Kazakhstan’s national news agency Qazinform reported the same development that day, and The Halal Times confirmed the entry on Qatar’s live registry two days later, on 14 August 2026.

Islamic bank assets in the UAE totaled Dh1.4 trillion in June 2026, Gulf News reported in coverage published August 13, 2026. The figures are credited to the Central Bank of the UAE. The Cabinet approved the national strategy behind the sector’s targets in May 2025. As of June 2026, Islamic bank assets in the UAE amounted to Dh1.4 trillion, Gulf News reported.