The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that the outbound airlift of Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj will officially begin on May 9 and conclude by May 24.
The decision was reached during a strategic meeting held today in Abuja between NAHCON officials, Executive Secretaries of State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, and representatives of designated airlines, convened to assess the current level of preparedness for the annual pilgrimage.
In his opening remarks, NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullah Saleh Usman, described the meeting as critical, noting that the Hajj industry had entered the final lap of preparations. He called on state boards to provide updates on visa issuance, vaccination schedules, baggage procurement, and other essential logistics.
According to Prince Anofiu Elegushi, NAHCON’s Commissioner for Operations, four airlines have been assigned to airlift a total of 43,000 pilgrims across various states.
Air Peace will handle the airlift of 5,128 pilgrims from states including Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, the Armed Forces, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, Rivers, and Taraba.
FlyNas was allocated 12,506 pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto, and Zamfara. The airline is expected to deploy nine aircraft for the operations.
Max Air will transport 15,203 pilgrims from Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Oyo, and Plateau, using two aircraft; a Boeing 747 with 400-seat capacity and another with 560-seat capacity. The airline has assured that its operations will be concluded by May 24.
Umza Aviation is responsible for the airlift of 10,163 pilgrims from Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Niger, and Yobe states. It is deploying a B747 with 477 seats and a B777 with 310 seats.
NAHCON’s Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information & Library Services, Professor Abubakar Yagawal, also briefed the forum on the Commission’s level of preparedness. He confirmed that clinics had been secured in Makkah and Madinah, and that Yellow Cards had been distributed to state boards. He further cautioned against enrolling pregnant women for the pilgrimage.
The inbound return flights from Saudi Arabia are tentatively scheduled to begin on June 13 and end by July 2, 2025.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a smooth and successful Hajj operation, in collaboration with all stakeholders.
