In recent years, Ethiopia has rapidly developed its social safety net programs, which are integrated into the country's broader strategic plan called the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). The collection and distribution of the Zakat fund were carried out solely as voluntary and personal worship. As a result, the goals of this study are to estimate the potential of the Zakat Fund, explore opportunities and analyze the challenges facing institutionalization of Zakat in Ethiopia. The data collection methods were based on a questionnaire and secondary data. A questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was distributed to 250 Zakat-payers to collect data. Among the findings of the study, it was seen that 82.9% of the survey participants have agreed with the establishment of the Zakat institution. 67.9% of respondents claimed that a Zakat institution should be organized at the level of a private institution or Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Based on the income tax collected from the Revenue Authority of HRS in 2018, it was 60.651.915 according to Z3, 68.373.249 according to Z2, and 28.356.739 according to Z1. Total Zakat potential from Ethiopian GDP in 2017 is approximately 0.61 % of GDP under Z1, 1.5% of GDP under Z2, and 1.3% of GDP under Z3. Therefore, in Ethiopia, the potential of the Zakat fund and the possibility of applying the Zakat fund's institutionalization concept were examined, as the fund has not been examined by NGOs and policymakers to reduce poverty and alleviate socio-economic problems of society.
