NAHCON Cuts State Slot Allocations and Reduces 2026 Hajj Fares for Nigerians

Table of Contents

1. Cancellation of Slot Allocations
2. Review of Hajj Fares
3. Payment Deadline for Pilgrims
4. Stakeholder Consultation

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has terminated the allocation of Hajj slots to states and implemented a new policy based on a first-come, first-served basis.

The commission emphasized that prior slot allocations are no longer valid, stating: “States that submit their Hajj fares earlier will secure slots for their registered pilgrims according to the first-come, first-served principle.”

This announcement coincides with a reduction in the 2026 Hajj fares for prospective pilgrims from Nigeria, reflecting considerable decreases across various regions.

In a statement issued by NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, on behalf of the Chairman/CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, it was revealed that the decision was made after thorough consultations with relevant stakeholders and the approval of appropriate authorities.

Details of the fare adjustments are as follows:

Pilgrims from the Maiduguri/Yola Zone, who were previously required to pay N8,118,033.67, will now only need to pay N7,579,020.96.

Those from other areas in the Northern Zone will now pay N7,696,769.76, down from N8,244,813.67 in 2025.

Pilgrims from the Southern Zone will now pay N7,991,141.76, compared to N8,561,013.67 the previous year.

NAHCON clarified that “the revised fares were calculated based on an exchange rate of N1,443 per US Dollar. As a result, intending pilgrims from the respective zones will benefit from reductions of N539,013, N548,043.91, and N569,871.91 respectively.”

The commission urged intending pilgrims to finalize their Hajj fare payments by December 5, 2025, due to time constraints and the payment framework established by the Saudi authorities.

“This is necessary to ensure all transfers to NAHCON’s IBAN account are completed before Saudi Arabia’s deadline. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set December 21 as the deadline for transferring all funds for the basic services contract and has stated that this date will not be extended,” the statement underscored.

It also highlighted that “transfers into IBAN accounts typically take between 10 days to two weeks to be credited, making it challenging to meet the deadline if it is not moved earlier, hence the December 5 cutoff.”

During a meeting between NAHCON and the states on Monday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Forum of States, Alhaji Idris Al-Makura, urged members to complete their tasks in Saudi Arabia promptly and return to Nigeria without delay to mobilize for Hajj registration, given the strict timeline to fulfill Nigeria’s quota for the 2026 pilgrimage.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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