The Chairman of National Assembly Joint Committee on Hajj, Senator Ali Ndume, has commended the improvement in the coordination and welfare arrangements for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2026 Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ndume made the remarks while speaking to members of the NAHCON National Media Team during an oversight visit by the joint committee of the National Assembly on Hajj to some Nigerian pilgrims’ accommodation facilities in Madina.
According to the senator, the oversight visit was part of the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly committees overseeing Hajj operations, comprising members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“Well, as usual, these are members of the Hajj Committee in the National Assembly, both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and it is part of our constitutional responsibility whenever we come to conduct oversight and see how things are being done, take note of complaints and recommendations,” he said.
Ndume explained that the committee carries out the exercise annually to assess the performance of the Hajj operations and engage relevant authorities on issues affecting Nigerian pilgrims.
He disclosed that the lawmakers would continue their oversight activities through the Hajj period, including visits to Mina, while also holding meetings with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ahead of the peak of the pilgrimage.
“We do it annually, and when we get to Mina up to the time we complete the Hajj, we liaise with the Hajj Commission. The staff are always available, and anything that needs to be addressed as members of the National Assembly, we do that,” he added.
Ndume expressed satisfaction that this year’s Hajj arrangements have shown noticeable improvement compared to previous years, attributing the progress to better coordination, cooperation, and synergy among stakeholders.
“But then we still take that to get in touch with the appropriate authorities to see how we can handle it.
This year, Alhamdulillah, is better than last year, and the credit goes to the improvement in coordination, cooperation and synergy,” he stated.
He further assured Nigerian pilgrims that the National Assembly committees would continue to work closely with NAHCON to ensure the success of the 2026 Hajj exercise.