The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has fixed December 31, 2025, as the final deadline for the payment of 2026 Hajj fares by intending pilgrims.
Chairman of the commission, Abdullahi Usman, disclosed this at a press briefing in Kano on Friday, stressing that the deadline was essential to ensure smooth planning and early service delivery. He said state pilgrims’ boards must also remit 50 per cent of their allocations to NAHCON by October 8, 2025, to retain their slots.
Usman, who returned from Saudi Arabia on September 22, said the commission secured 66,910 slots for Nigerian pilgrims and negotiated a cost reduction of more than ₦200,000 per pilgrim. The savings, he explained, amount to over ₦19 billion in relief for pilgrims.
He noted that accommodation and feeding arrangements in Madinah had been finalised, while contracts for Masha’ir and transport services were signed with Saudi partners. A screening committee for tour operators and intensive staff training have also been inaugurated ahead of the exercise.
The chairman said the approved fares remain ₦8,118,333.67 for Maiduguri/Yola, ₦8,244,813.67 for northern states, and ₦8,561,013.67 for southern states.
“The success of Hajj 2026 cannot be improvised; it must be built early with discipline, foresight and courage. That is why we engaged, negotiated and acted ahead of time,” Usman said.
