The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has assured Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2026 Hajj that adequate arrangements have been made for the smooth coordination of religious activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
NAHCON disclosed that four days after the commencement of the airlift operation for Nigerian pilgrims, the four approved airlines had successfully conducted 23 outbound flights transporting a total of 9,756 pilgrims to Madinah.
According to the Commission, the first batch of pilgrims currently in Madinah were seen on Wednesday performing one of the significant spiritual activities of their stay visiting the Prophet Muhammad’s Rawdah before their scheduled departure to Makkah.
The Commission stated that officials of various State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards had already been trained and guided on the procedures for securing Rawdah visitation bookings for their pilgrims.
NAHCON, however, reminded pilgrims that access to the Rawdah remains subject to approved reservations and available space due to crowd control and congestion management measures implemented by Saudi authorities.
The Commission urged pilgrims to remain calm, patient, and orderly throughout the exercise while complying with instructions from officials and religious leaders.
It also advised pilgrims to follow the guidance of their Ulama concerning the validity and acceptance of Hajj rites, emphasizing that visiting the Rawdah, though spiritually rewarding, is not a compulsory condition for the acceptance of Hajj.
“Visiting the Rawdah is a blessed opportunity, but it is not a condition for the validity of Hajj, and Allah grants such opportunities according to His will,” the statement added.