By Soliu Oyesiji
The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ismail Yusuf Abba, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strict compliance with health and operational regulations ahead of the 2026 Hajj.
This was disclosed in a publication made on Tuesday by the information officer, department of information and public relations, NAHCON, Shafii Sani Mohammed.
Abba gave the assurance during a virtual preparatory meeting with the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah for International Cooperation, Dr Al Hassan Manakhra, of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The meeting, part of ongoing weekly engagements, reviewed visa processing, pilgrims’ grouping, health certification, flight schedules and accommodation arrangements.
NAHCON disclosed that 10,554 visa applications have been uploaded on the Nusuk Masar platform, with 1,734 visas already issued. Visa processing is expected to be concluded within 16 days, ahead of the 1st Shawwal deadline.
The commission also reported that over 70 per cent of pilgrim grouping has been completed, while medical approvals for more than 10,000 pilgrims have been uploaded.
Manakhra warned that random health checks would be conducted at entry points into Saudi Arabia to verify the authenticity of health certificates. He said any pilgrim found with a falsified certificate would be returned to Nigeria, while signatories to such documents would face sanctions.
Abba reiterated NAHCON’s zero-tolerance stance on irregularities, noting that only accredited hospitals are authorised to conduct screenings. He added that each certificate is verified through the doctor’s registration number and subjected to multiple layers of internal review.
He further disclosed that additional health checks would be carried out at departure centres across Nigeria by members of the national medical team to ensure only medically fit pilgrims are airlifted.
On logistics, the Saudi ministry emphasised the need to align flight schedules with confirmed accommodation, especially in Madinah, to avoid past challenges. Abba assured that no pilgrim would depart Nigeria without secured accommodation.
He appreciated the Saudi ministry for its cooperation and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustained coordination until the successful completion of the 2026 Hajj preparations.
