The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, has disclosed that the commission will blacklist a Saudi catering company over poor feeding services rendered to Nigerian pilgrims during the ongoing 2026 Hajj exercise.
Ambassador Yusuf made this known while speaking with journalists after undertaking an inspection tour of pilgrims’ facilities in Mina
According to him, the commission discovered that pilgrims from some states were either poorly served or not served meals completely, particularly during breakfast periods on some days.
“The tour I undertook just now revealed that some states were not properly fed yesterday and today during breakfast. Of course, we became aware of the situation since yesterday and immediately took it up with the Saudi authorities,” he stated.
The NAHCON chairman explained that the affected caterer would be sanctioned and blacklisted from future engagements, while efforts are underway to secure refunds for all affected pilgrims.
“We are blacklisting the caterer. We are also going to get refunds for the unserved and poorly served meals. If we receive the refunds before the pilgrims leave Saudi Arabia, we will distribute the money directly to them. Otherwise, it will be handed over to their respective state pilgrims’ boards,” he added.
Ambassador Yusuf noted that Saudi authorities have assured the commission of their full cooperation in ensuring that refunds are made.
He further revealed that some of the meals provided failed to meet acceptable quality standards, prompting NAHCON to order their destruction.
“For the companies that did not provide quality food, we saw it ourselves and we were not satisfied. We caused the destruction of the food and we are going to secure restitution for the pilgrims,” he said.
On complaints by some pilgrims concerning the taste and type of meals served, the NAHCON chairman acknowledged the concerns but urged pilgrims to understand the realities of being in a different cultural environment.
“We understand that Nigerians have peculiar tastes when it comes to food, but once you leave your home country, you also need to adapt to the culture and environment you find yourself in,” he explained.
He, however, disclosed that NAHCON is already planning a long-term solution to improve feeding arrangements for future Hajj operations.
“By next year, Insha Allah, we intend to bring cooks from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia during the Hajj period so they can prepare meals that suit Nigerian tastes,” he said.
The NAHCON chairman also touched on accommodation concerns raised in some pilgrims’ camps, revealing that the commission had conducted headcounts across states and instituted investigations into observed irregularities.
“I was personally involved in conducting headcounts among the states. We have instituted investigations and at the appropriate time, the findings will be made public and whoever is found culpable will be sanctioned,”
Ambassador Yusuf stated.
Highlighting reforms introduced under his leadership, the NAHCON chairman said the commission has successfully delineated responsibilities between NAHCON and state pilgrims’ welfare boards while embracing technology to improve transparency and efficiency in Hajj operations.
“We have introduced technology in visa processing, accommodation acquisition and payment systems. We are automating payments to eradicate cases of corruption,” he said.
He added that NAHCON is now working directly with Saudi authorities to identify and engage only reputable service providers for Nigerian pilgrims.
“They are going to recommend reputable service providers to us so that Nigerian pilgrims can enjoy better services in future Hajj operations,” Ambassador Yusuf assured.