Soliu Oyesiji.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has made fresh requests to the Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabbiah, aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation beyond pilgrimage administration.
During the engagements, Tuggar appealed for a bilateral framework that would enable Saudi Arabia to support Nigeria in the area of artificial intelligence, citing the Kingdom’s advanced deployment of AI in public and service sectors.
The foreign minister also sought Saudi assistance in training Nigerian officials involved in Hajj operations, including staff of the Consulates, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, particularly in Arabic language proficiency to enhance communication during pilgrimage activities.
Nigeria further requested an increase in its Hajj quota to accommodate rising demand from both state-sponsored pilgrims and private tour operators.
Tuggar also urged Saudi authorities to provide Nigerian Hajj institutions with timely access to policy updates and operational guidelines to ensure better preparation ahead of each Hajj season.
The discussions signal Nigeria’s intention to deepen strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia while repositioning its Hajj administration for greater efficiency and broader technology
