The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has expressed concern over a significant reduction in the number of camp slots allocated to Nigerian pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj by Saudi Arabian authorities
The Commission warned that the development could drastically limit the number of Nigerians able to participate in next year’s pilgrimage.
In a statement released on Thursday by its Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Usara, and titled “NAHCON, States Discuss Hajj Costing and Other Critical Issues; Ministry Briefs NAHCON on Tour Operators,” the Commission revealed that only 66,910 slots have been approved for Nigeria on Saudi Arabia’s NUSUK Masar portal, despite an initial allocation of 95,000.
According to the statement, the breakdown of the new arrangement means 51,513 slots will go to state pilgrims and officials, while 15,397 will be reserved for licensed tour operators.
NAHCON explained that the reduction serves as a penalty from Saudi authorities following Nigeria’s underutilisation of its quota during the 2025 Hajj exercise. Despite securing 95,000 slots last year, only 59,128 pilgrims participated — 41,218 from the government quota and 18,000 through private operators.
During a meeting with State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, disclosed that state allocations for 2026 would be adjusted based on how well each state utilised its 2025 quota. “States that failed to exhaust their 2025 slots will be most affected,” he warned.
The Commission also confirmed holding a virtual meeting with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which directed it to allocate at least 2,000 Hajj slots to each group of tour operators and ensure registration on the NUSUK platform.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman, appealed for cooperation among stakeholders to avoid a crisis, stressing that unity and coordination were essential for a successful 2026 Hajj. He also urged State Executive Secretaries to take medical screening seriously, noting Saudi Arabia’s strict health regulations.
To ease financial pressure on intending pilgrims amid fluctuating exchange rates, NAHCON said discussions were underway to negotiate lower charges for services such as cargo handling. However, it cautioned that service providers’ rates would not be arbitrarily reduced to avoid compromising the quality of services.
A board representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Adetona Adedeji, pledged to convey NAHCON’s request to the bank for a possible reduction of the 2% charge on pilgrims’ transactions. The meeting further resolved that funds from states should be transferred to the CBN as they are received, to benefit from favorable exchange rates.
NAHCON reminded state officials of the December 21 remittance deadline and advised them to set earlier internal targets to ensure timely submission. It also announced plans for nationwide sensitisation to emphasize the importance of meeting the deadline.
The Commission added that the 2026 Hajj would adopt the international aviation luggage policy, allowing each pilgrim two 23kg checked bags and one hand luggage. It also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s medical restrictions, stating that individuals with organ failure, cancer, tuberculosis, psychiatric disorders, dementia, pregnancy, or other communicable diseases would not be permitted entry into the Kingdom.
The Commission warned that the development could drastically limit the number of Nigerians able to participate in next year’s pilgrimage.
In a statement released on Thursday by its Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Usara, and titled “NAHCON, States Discuss Hajj Costing and Other Critical Issues; Ministry Briefs NAHCON on Tour Operators,” the Commission revealed that only 66,910 slots have been approved for Nigeria on Saudi Arabia’s NUSUK Masar portal, despite an initial allocation of 95,000.
According to the statement, the breakdown of the new arrangement means 51,513 slots will go to state pilgrims and officials, while 15,397 will be reserved for licensed tour operators.
NAHCON explained that the reduction serves as a penalty from Saudi authorities following Nigeria’s underutilisation of its quota during the 2025 Hajj exercise. Despite securing 95,000 slots last year, only 59,128 pilgrims participated — 41,218 from the government quota and 18,000 through private operators.
During a meeting with State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, disclosed that state allocations for 2026 would be adjusted based on how well each state utilised its 2025 quota. “States that failed to exhaust their 2025 slots will be most affected,” he warned.
The Commission also confirmed holding a virtual meeting with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which directed it to allocate at least 2,000 Hajj slots to each group of tour operators and ensure registration on the NUSUK platform.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman, appealed for cooperation among stakeholders to avoid a crisis, stressing that unity and coordination were essential for a successful 2026 Hajj. He also urged State Executive Secretaries to take medical screening seriously, noting Saudi Arabia’s strict health regulations.
To ease financial pressure on intending pilgrims amid fluctuating exchange rates, NAHCON said discussions were underway to negotiate lower charges for services such as cargo handling. However, it cautioned that service providers’ rates would not be arbitrarily reduced to avoid compromising the quality of services.
A board representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Adetona Adedeji, pledged to convey NAHCON’s request to the bank for a possible reduction of the 2% charge on pilgrims’ transactions. The meeting further resolved that funds from states should be transferred to the CBN as they are received, to benefit from favorable exchange rates.
NAHCON reminded state officials of the December 21 remittance deadline and advised them to set earlier internal targets to ensure timely submission. It also announced plans for nationwide sensitisation to emphasize the importance of meeting the deadline.
The Commission added that the 2026 Hajj would adopt the international aviation luggage policy, allowing each pilgrim two 23kg checked bags and one hand luggage. It also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s medical restrictions, stating that individuals with organ failure, cancer, tuberculosis, psychiatric disorders, dementia, pregnancy, or other communicable diseases would not be permitted entry into the Kingdom.
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