NAHCON Denies Alleged Diversion of 5,000 Hajj Slots

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has dismissed allegations that 5,000 slots for the 2027 Hajj were diverted, saying no evidence has been presented to establish any breach of Nigerian or Saudi Hajj regulations. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has dismissed allegations that 5,000 slots allocated for the 2027 Hajj were diverted.The commission described the allegation...

• The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has dismissed allegations that 5,000 slots for the 2027 Hajj were diverted, saying no evidence has been presented to establish any breach of Nigerian or Saudi Hajj regulations.
• The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has dismissed allegations that 5,000 slots allocated for the 2027 Hajj were diverted.The commission described the allegation as unfounded and warned licensed private Hajj tour operators against spreading what it called misinformation over the allocation of pilgrimage slots.In a statement issued by the Head of NAHCON’s Information and Publications Division, Shafii Mohammed, the commission said no evidence had been presented to show that the allocation breached Saudi Arabian Hajj regulations or NAHCON’s guidelines.NAHCON explained that Nigeria’s approved quota for the 2027 Hajj is 50,000 pilgrims, comprising 35,000 slots for state pilgrims’ welfare boards and the Federal Capital Territory, while 15,000 slots are reserved for licensed private Hajj tour operators operating under seven approved lead companies.The commission said the private-sector allocation was carried out in accordance with applicable Nigerian regulations and the requirements of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.NAHCON urged operators with concerns about the allocation process to use established regulatory and dispute-resolution channels rather than relying on anonymous allegations.The commission also drew attention to the September 26, 2026, deadline set by Saudi authorities for uploading the biometric and registration details of prospective pilgrims through the Nusuk-Masar platform.According to NAHCON, the deadline is fixed by the Saudi authorities and cannot be extended by the Nigerian commission.The commission warned that licensed operators who fail to meet the required registration and documentation deadlines could face sanctions, including suspension, withdrawal of licenses, or blacklisting.NAHCON also advised intending pilgrims registered through private travel agencies to confirm that their biometric and registration details have been successfully uploaded before the September 26 deadline.The commission maintained that the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims remains its priority and called on all stakeholders to comply with the approved guidelines and timelines for the 2027 Hajj exercise.Nigeria’s 2027 Hajj quota remains at 50,000 pilgrims, while states are expected to complete payment of Hajj fares by December 2, 2026.
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