The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Doha

  • Troost-Ekong Converts To Islam In Qatar After Reciting Shahadah

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has embraced Islam after reciting the Shahadah in Doha, Qatar.

    The 33-year-old Nigerian defender, who currently plays for Qatar Stars League club Al-Ahli, reportedly made the declaration while in Doha, with footage of him reciting the two testimonies of faith circulating online.

    Qatari newspaper Al-Arab first reported the development on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Al Jazeera also reported that a video shared by Kuwaiti Islamic scholar and preacher Mansour bin Nasser Al-Khalidi showed Troost-Ekong being guided through the Shahadah before declaring his acceptance of Islam.

    According to Al Jazeera’s report, Troost-Ekong expressed his desire to read more and learn about Islam. The report also said the footballer’s Muslim friends at Al-Ahli helped introduce him to the religion and influenced his decision.

    However, other reports noted that Troost-Ekong has not publicly provided a detailed account of his decision. The available footage and reports establish that he recited the Shahadah and announced his conversion, but details about his personal journey were not independently confirmed by the footballer himself.

    Troost-Ekong moved to Qatar in January 2026 after leaving Saudi Arabian club Al-Kholood. He signed an 18-month contract with Al-Ahli and has since continued his professional career in the Qatar Stars League.

    Before moving to the Middle East, the defender had spells with several clubs in Europe, including Udinese, Watford, Salernitana and PAOK.

    At international level, Troost-Ekong represented Nigeria from 2015 to 2025, earning 83 caps and scoring eight goals. He captained the Super Eagles during several major competitions, including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

    He played a key role in Nigeria’s run to the AFCON final, scoring three goals during the tournament and subsequently being named its Player of the Tournament.

    Troost-Ekong also represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games before announcing his retirement from international football in December 2025.

    His conversion to Islam has since attracted widespread attention among football supporters in Nigeria, Qatar and other parts of the Arab world.

  • Nigerian Embassy in Qatar Cuts Passport Processing Time to Two Weeks

    Nigerian Embassy in Qatar Cuts Passport Processing Time to Two Weeks

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Nigerian Embassy in Qatar has reduced the processing period for passport issuance and renewal to about two weeks following a special intervention exercise in Doha.

    The 10-day exercise, held between August 11 and 21, 2026, enabled the mission to process passport applications for 751 Nigerian nationals.

    The Nigerian Ambassador to Qatar, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

    He said the applications comprised 441 requests for five-year passports and 310 applications for 10-year passports.

    According to Yakubu, distribution of the newly produced passports commenced on September 18, less than a month after applicants completed their biometric capture.

    He described the development as a significant improvement in the embassy’s consular services, noting that valid passports are essential for Nigerians living abroad, particularly for international travel, employment and residency requirements.

    Yakubu said the shorter turnaround time demonstrated the embassy’s commitment to improving services and addressing the needs of Nigerians residing in Qatar.

    The development comes amid increasing demand for consular services from the Nigerian community in the Gulf country.

     

    Qatar Charity expands development operations in Nigeria

    Meanwhile, Qatar Charity has expanded its operations in Nigeria, with plans to strengthen development and social welfare programmes across the country.

    The organisation is also implementing a $10m integrated housing project in Abuja as part of its intervention programmes.

    The development was discussed when Yakubu visited the organisation’s headquarters in Doha, where he met with its Executive Vice-President and Global Programmes Officer, Nawaf Abdullah Al-Hammadi.

    The meeting focused on strengthening Qatar Charity’s long-term development activities in Nigeria, with emphasis on projects designed to provide sustainable support to communities.

    One of the major projects is the Gaduwa housing development in Abuja, which combines residential facilities with a health clinic and school.

    Yakubu said the Nigerian Embassy would support the initiative through diplomatic clearance and coordination with relevant government agencies.

    He also expressed the hope that the integrated development model could be extended to other parts of Nigeria.

    The ambassador said Qatar Charity had demonstrated commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerian communities, stressing that housing projects should be accompanied by access to essential services such as healthcare and education.

    He said the partnership would contribute to development efforts in Nigeria while further strengthening relations between Nigeria and Qatar.