Philanthropy Redefined among Muslims and Christians in Northern Nigeria during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the social and economic livelihoods of many people in Nigeria and around the world, prompting various responses from citizens. In Nigeria, the government implemented a lockdown as a necessary measure to curb the spread of the virus. However, due to the widespread poverty already afflicting society, it became extremely difficult for impoverished families to remain indoors without proper provisions for their basic needs. This challenge was further exacerbated by the government’s inability to provide adequate support for the poor and vulnerable members of society during the lockdown. This paper, using qualitative methods such as participant observation and in-depth unstructured interviews with key informants, explores the philanthropic efforts undertaken by both Muslims and Christians in Northern Nigeria at both individual and group levels to address the government’s failure to adequately support impoverished citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. The central argument presented is that, in the face of government neglect and the incapacity to meet the population’s social welfare needs, citizens stepped in to support one another to survive the pandemic period. The qualitative data revealed multiple motivations behind this surge in philanthropic activity, including a desire to alleviate hardship caused by the lockdown, to gain spiritual rewards from God, and, for some individuals, to seize an opportunity to acquire social status and influence through charitable giving. The paper also examines the limitations of both state and federal government assistance to poor and needy families and how religious groups encouraged their affluent members to make donations to help fill the gap.