Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ambassador Ismail Yusuf, has met with critical stakeholders ahead of the 2026 Hajj.
The meeting held on Monday at the NAHCON headquarters drew commissioners, board members, state pilgrims’ board chairmen and executive secretaries, medical mission officials, and management staff.
The new chairman reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to transparency, professionalism and strict regulatory oversight as preparations intensify for the 2026 Hajj.
Ambassador Yusuf said Nigeria’s allocation stands at 40,250 pilgrims, excluding tour operators, but uploaded data reportedly exceeded the approved figure.
He directed states to urgently reconcile records and withdraw excess entries to prevent administrative bottlenecks.
This was revealed in a statement signed by Information Officer, Abdulbasit Abba.
He said Saudi authorities have fixed a firm visa deadline of 1st Shawwal, with no indication of extension.
“To beat the deadline, states must conclude medical screening, documentation and data uploads within the operational window to ensure timely visa issuance,” he said.
He warned against substitutions on flight manifests, citing integration between airline bookings and accommodation systems.
States were advised to promptly refund intending pilgrims who will not travel to avoid disputes and preserve public trust.
Yusuf revealed plans to deploy monitoring teams to Saudi Arabia to assess feeding, accommodation, sanitation and service delivery.
He said best-performing states may receive national recognition, while non-compliance would attract sanctions.
The chairman reaffirmed that State Pilgrims Welfare Boards remain primary custodians of pilgrims, while NAHCON’s role is regulatory.
He urged unity, professionalism and collective responsibility to ensure a successful 2026 Hajj operation.
The new Hajj commission chief also announced a reduction in the Yellow Card fee from ₦5,000 to ₦2,000 for the 2026 Hajj.
He disclosed that Port Health Services will directly supervise vaccination certification amid stricter Saudi verification, including biometric checks.
NAHCON also announced strict monitoring of airline performance, warning that underperforming carriers may lose allocations to better-performing operators.
