Islamic Banking Products and Customer Awareness in Zamfara State: A Case Study of Jaiz Bank

Islamic banking institutions operating in Nigeria are required to structure their financial products in compliance with Sharia principles that prohibit riba (interest), excessive gharar (uncertainty), and speculative transactions. Jaiz Bank, Nigeria's foremost Islamic commercial bank, has expanded its operations into North West states including Zamfara, yet customer awareness of the Sharia compliance mechanisms underlying its products remains uncertain. This study examines customer awareness of Islamic banking products and the Sharia governance framework at Jaiz Bank's Zamfara State branches. A descriptive survey methodology is applied to 260 customers sampled from three Jaiz Bank branches in Gusau using stratified random sampling. Questionnaire items assess awareness of Murabaha (cost-plus sale), Musharaka (partnership), Ijara (leasing), and Sukuk (Islamic bonds) products, understanding of Sharia supervisory board functions, and perceptions of the religious permissibility of specific bank services. Descriptive statistics are computed in SPSS. Available literature on Islamic banking in North West Nigeria identifies a significant gap between product adoption and doctrinal understanding among customers, with compliance being driven more by religious preference than informed product knowledge. The Fiqh al-Muamalat framework and the AAOIFI Sharia Standards provide the analytical reference. Findings are expected to reveal low doctrinal literacy. Recommendations address customer Sharia financial literacy programmes, product disclosure standards, and Sharia compliance certification visibility at branch level. Keywords: Islamic banking, Jaiz Bank, Zamfara State, Sharia compliance, customer awareness.