The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced ₦8.5 million as the tentative deposit for the 2026 Hajj, pending the conclusion of service contract negotiations with relevant stakeholders.
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In a statement by Assistant Director Information and Publications of the Commission Fatima Sanda Usara, The announcement was made during a post-Hajj strategic meeting held on Thursday at the Hajj House headquarters in Abuja, where Chairmen and Executive Secretaries of State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards gathered to review the 2025 Hajj operations and begin early preparations for the upcoming exercise.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, who presided over the meeting, appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support to Nigerian pilgrims and the Commission. He highlighted the Federal Government’s intervention that allowed Hajj carriers to accept payments in Naira, which helped shield pilgrims from foreign exchange volatility.
Professor Usman also commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for suspending its earlier directive mandating the use of credit cards for accessing Basic Travel Allowance (BTA)—a policy he noted would have negatively affected many pilgrims due to low awareness and limited access.
He urged participants to contribute honest and constructive feedback on the 2025 exercise to guide improvements going forward.
The Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS), Professor Abubakar Abubakar Yagawal, led discussions on the 2026 Hajj calendar. Meanwhile, Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, initiated talks on the possible rollover of contracts for the four airlines that served Nigerian pilgrims in 2025, citing the need to overcome time constraints and Saudi scheduling expectations.
Professor Usman also revealed that Nigeria’s Hajj slot allocation of 95,000 pilgrims remains intact, with state-level allocations unchanged from the previous year.
In a goodwill message, Alhaji Idris Almakura, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims’ Board and Chairman of the Forum of State Executive Secretaries, lauded NAHCON for convening the meeting. He emphasized the need for improved communication between the Commission and state boards, and called for the speedy resolution of all pending matters from the 2025 exercise.
Other Forum members in attendance included the Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Faruku Yaro (Kebbi State), and the Secretary, Malam Abubakar Salihu (Adamawa State).
The meeting concluded with participants pledging to return with inputs on unresolved issues after wider consultations. NAHCON Secretary, Dr Mustapha Ali, thanked all stakeholders for their valuable contributions and formally adjourned the session.