The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has stepped up preparations for the 2026 Hajj, with its leadership issuing fresh directives on coordination, professionalism, and improved service delivery.
At a strategic operational review meeting held at the Hajj House in Abuja, NAHCON Chairman, Abdullahi Saleh Usman, told directors, commissioners, and staff that the commission must raise its operational standards ahead of next year’s pilgrimage.
“Policies and technologies in Saudi Arabia change every year, and the expectations of Nigerian pilgrims continue to rise. We must therefore ensure we are fully prepared, better informed, and highly coordinated,” Usman said at the meeting, which also featured representatives of Acosta Media as part of NAHCON’s monthly staff training.
A report authored by Shafii Sani Mohammed, Principal Information Officer in NAHCON, stated that the “session focused on Madina operations. Usman reminded staff of shortcomings recorded in last year’s exercise and urged them to deliver a more disciplined and coordinated operation.
“We saw the areas where we fell short. This year, we must be more disciplined, united, and committed to delivering the best for our pilgrims,” he added.
In a strong message on service delivery, the Commissioner for Policy, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services, Abubakar Yagawal, called for zero complaints from Nigerian pilgrims in Madina, which he described as spiritually significant.
“Please try to solve their problems, because any complaint against Madina, to my own sight, is a complaint to the Prophet. Therefore, do not allow our pilgrims to make any complaint—whether on food, accommodation, or visitations,” Yagawal said.
He warned that a poor experience in Madina could affect a pilgrim’s entire journey.
“If a pilgrim feels comfort in Madina, it is a very good start and he will be smiling all along. But if he starts with a problem in Madina, the consequences will be very bad,” he said, while urging officials to “double your effort to satisfy our pilgrims.”
Earlier, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Alidu Shutti, said the leadership remained committed to strengthening staff capacity ahead of the 2026 Hajj. He encouraged workers to take the training seriously, noting that some presentations would form part of the commission’s promotion examinations.
With renewed emphasis on preparedness, unity, and improved interdepartmental coordination, NAHCON says it is determined to deliver a smoother and more spiritually fulfilling experience for Nigerian pilgrims in 2026.
