The continued difficulty in securing Umrah visas for Nigerian pilgrims has been linked to congestion in accommodation choices around the Masjid Bin Laden area in Makkah, a Saudi-based Umrah service official has disclosed.
The official, who spoke to Hajj Reporters, said most Nigerian Umrah pilgrims prefer to stay within the Masjid Bin Laden vicinity, leading to extreme pressure on limited hotel space a development the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has frowned upon.
According to the source, several affordable and standard hotels located in Aziziya, Shara Siteen and Kuday remain largely underutilised, despite being licensed and approved by Saudi authorities. He noted that many Nigerian companies rarely book these facilities on the Nusuk Umrah platform because their clients insist on accommodation within the Bin Laden district.
“These hotels have shuttle buses and meet all regulatory standards, but the preference for one location is creating unnecessary congestion,” the official said.
He added that Nigeria has been classified among low-risk countries due to its effective management of pilgrim grouping systems, stressing that the major concern now is the need for operators to diversify accommodation beyond the Bin Laden area.
The source further explained that many hotels within the Masjid Bin Laden zone have been marked for demolition as part of ongoing expansion projects in Makkah, which is why authorities are keen to prevent overcrowding in the area.
