The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has raised the alarm over a major reduction in camp slots for Nigerian pilgrims by Saudi authorities ahead of the 2026 Hajj exercise, warning that the cut may significantly limit participation next year.
This was contained in a statement titled “NAHCON, States Discuss Hajj Costing and Other Critical Issues; Ministry Briefs NAHCON on Tour Operators,” signed by the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Usara, on Thursday.
The Commission disclosed that although Nigeria was allocated 95,000 slots, only 66,910 spaces have been approved on Saudi Arabia’s NUSUK Masar portal for camp accommodation, noting that the development has dire implications for states and licensed tour operators.
According to the statement, “the Mashair space reserved for Nigeria’s pilgrims on the NUSUK Masar portal is actually 66,910 slots for the 2026 Hajj. The implication of this is that while 95,000 slots were allocated to Nigeria, the actual number that can participate in the 2026 Hajj is 51,513 for States and all other officials, while 15,397 will go to licensed Tour Operators.”
The reduction, NAHCON explained, was imposed as a penalty by Saudi authorities due to Nigeria’s underutilisation of allotted slots during the 2025 Hajj.
The PUNCH reports that on February 20th, 2025, the Commission announced that it had secured 52,544 spaces for State Pilgrims, however, only 41,218 pilgrims were eventually airlifted to and from the Holy Lands for the exercise, on the government quota.
Another 18,000 pilgrims also made the trip through Private Tour Operators, bringing the total number of pilgrims who attended the exercise to 59,128, but leaving a shortage of 35,872 slots from the 95,000 provided by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Speaking during a meeting between NAHCON and officials of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards on Thursday, the Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, disclosed that “earlier allocations will be reversed based on each State’s utilisation during the 2025 Hajj as well.”
He warned that states that failed to exhaust their quotas in 2025 would be affected most.
The Commission also said it held a virtual meeting with officials of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, during which it was directed to “allocate a minimum of 2,000 Hajj slots to each group of Tour Operators” and ensure registration on the NUSUK platform.
Meanwhile, in his remarks, NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman, urged stakeholders to work together to avert a crisis during preparations, saying, “unity in this assignment” was critical if Hajj 2026 would succeed.
He also reiterated and appealed to State Executive Secretaries to take the issue of medical screening seriously “due to the seriousness that Saudi Arabia attaches to it.”
Amid rising concerns over the cost of pilgrimage due to volatile forex rates, the said efforts were ongoing “to negotiate reductions in certain cost components such as cargo handling charges, in order to ease the financial burden on intending pilgrims.”
However, NAHCON stressed that service providers’ rates “will not be arbitrarily reduced”, as it may affect services that pilgrims are expected to receive.
A board member representing the Central Bank of Nigeria at the Commission, Dr. Adetona Adedeji, pledged to intervene on behalf of pilgrims, to “convey NAHCON’s request to CBN on the possibility of reducing the 2% charge imposed on pilgrims’ transactions.”
The meeting also resolved that funds be transferred to CBN on a regular basis, as they are being received from the states, to take advantage of the positive exchange rate.
NAHCON remained state officials of the December 21 deadline for remittances urging them to set an internal deadline to ensure all funds were received and transferred to NAHCON before the cutoff date.
The Commission said it would embark on nationwide sensitisation “to highlight the urgency and importance of meeting the deadline.”
NAHCON also announced that the 2026 Hajj would implement the international aviation luggage policy, allowing “each pilgrim two 23kg checked-in bags and one backpack as hand luggage.”
They further reiterated Saudi Arabia’s strict medical rules, warning that “individuals with organ failure, neurological or psychiatric disorders, dementia, pregnancy, active cancer undergoing chemotherapy, tuberculosis, or other communicable diseases will not be allowed entry into the Kingdom.”
Credit: punchng.com
