The Ilorin Central Jumaat Mosque Committee has announced plans to construct a 250-bed-space students’ hostel at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State. The project, which is estimated to cost N1.1 billion, was revealed on Saturday during the committee’s annual Board of Trustees and stakeholders meeting held in Ilorin.
The chairman of the Board of Trustees, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore, leads the committee. For years, it has relied solely on the generosity of indigenes and well-meaning individuals from the Ilorin Emirate for the upkeep of the grand religious structure, which is widely revered as one of the most beautiful mosques in the country.
According to the secretary of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Shehu AbdulGafar, the committee has already taken key steps towards actualising the student hostel project. “We have submitted the letter of intent to the management of the University of Ilorin. In addition, the 3D architectural plan of the hostel is prominently displayed in the programme booklet for this year’s BoT/stakeholders meeting,” he disclosed.
AbdulGafar emphasized that the student hostel project is not just a philanthropic gesture but a strategic investment initiative designed to boost the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the mosque. “Our mosque has no form of investment or regular income, and this project is conceived to fill that void and ensure that we can meet the rising maintenance demands,” he said.
While outlining the current financial pressures facing the committee, AbdulGafar disclosed that a staggering N100 million will be required to procure new rugs for the mosque’s expansive main prayer hall. He explained that the need to keep the mosque in top condition is driven by its stature as a religious and architectural landmark, admired not just across Nigeria but beyond its borders.
“Due to the mosque’s status and usage by a wide section of the Muslim community, it is crucial that it remains in perfect shape. The level of beauty and spirituality associated with this mosque places a sacred obligation on us to preserve its appeal,” AbdulGafar noted, appealing to stakeholders to contribute generously.
The committee’s secretary further revealed that the mosque currently incurs a monthly recurrent expenditure of N5.5 million, which includes utility bills, staff salaries, cleaning, and maintenance. The figure, he said, has been driven upwards by Nigeria’s rising inflation, making the need for self-sustaining investments even more urgent.
He lamented the unstable power supply situation, which has become a major operational challenge for the mosque. According to AbdulGafar, the committee is burdened by a monthly electricity bill of over N1 million, a cost that significantly drains available resources and threatens the mosque’s ability to operate efficiently.
In response to these growing concerns, the committee called on influential personalities, corporate bodies, and public-spirited individuals to rise to the occasion and contribute towards the maintenance of the mosque and the success of the proposed hostel project. “This gathering is not only to provide updates but to foster a spirit of collective responsibility for this sacred institution,” AbdulGafar stressed.
The 250-bed-space hostel, once completed, will serve as accommodation for students of the University of Ilorin and is expected to generate consistent revenue for the mosque committee. The initiative represents a merging of faith and sustainability, aiming to preserve the grandeur of the mosque while offering social value through education-related infrastructure.
