The chosen topic “Nigeria and the Quest for Best Hajj Operational Practices” is both apt and timely. It echoes a paper I presented at the NAHCON 10th Anniversary in 2017 on “Comparative Analysis of Global Best Practices on Hajj Management.”
It underscores the desire of Nigerian Muslims for world-class Hajj operations that will create an enabling environment for pilgrims to perform Hajj Mabroor—an accepted pilgrimage in the sight of Allah. A Hajj Mabroor transforms pilgrims: sins are forgiven, hearts are softened, pride is diminished, compassion is renewed, and pilgrims return home as though reborn. Our collective duty is to establish operational practices that will enable such outcomes.
- Operational Issues Affecting Hajj Activities
Hajj operations can be broadly grouped into three phases: Pre-Hajj, During Hajj, and Post-Hajj. Due to time constraints, I will focus on Pre-Hajj activities, which include:
- Announcement of Hajj fares
- Pilgrim registration
- Remittance and fund transfers to Nusuk e-wallets
- Pilgrim education and enlightenment
- Advertising of services – on and off shore services
- Selection of airlines and service providers
- Signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) etc.
As of today, 11th September 2025 (18th Rabiʿ al-Awwal 1447 AH), what milestones have we achieved regarding the 2026 Hajj Calendar?
Recently, I read an online report of a virtual meeting held between NAHCON and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah held specifically on 2026 Hajj Preparations dated 25th August 2025 and chaired by Ustaz Abdallah Ash Shihry, Acting Director-General and Special Assistant to Deputy Minister in the Saudi Ministry of Hajj. In the course of the meeting, “the Saudi authorities reiterated the important deadlines that remain sacrosanct (In pre-hajj activities) which include Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2026; 4th January 2026 is the last day to finalize camp booking payments and confirmation of service contracts packages. 1st February 2026 has been set as deadline for uploading of transport and accommodation contracts on Nusuk Masar Portal while 20th Feb, 2026 (12th of Shawwal) remains strictly the deadline for visa issuance. Representatives of the Ministry stressed that these deadlines will not shift.
…Members from the Hajj and Umar Ministry lamented several incidents involving late preparations from our local end, noting that delays could have negative consequences on the welfare and overall experience of pilgrims”. Late preparation, for obvious reasons, has become the culture of the Nigerian pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Request for extension of time for one event or the other has become the norm and is considered normal in hajj operations. Distinguished listeners, you can be rest assured that the most consistent practice in our hajj operations is our inconsistency in respecting the yearly Hajj calendar overtime. Some of the reasons are surely for good reasons but some are actually avoidable. Let’s wait and see what will happen this year 1447/2026.
Nonetheless, I must commend the current NAHCON leadership for significant efforts between June and September 2025, despite financial and logistical uncertainties. Still, the persistent delays call for critical reflection: Why does this problem recur annually, and how can it be solved? Is there a practical solution to this?
I saw these headlines about Pakistan and Kenya on closure of Pilgrims’ registration for 2026 hajj and decided to share it with you.
What are the lessons from the above information? Why Kenya why not Nigeria?
Even in the implementation of the 2026 Calendar by NAHCON, it is clear that NAHCON need to leapfrog its process to enable the Commission catch up with time. I have no doubt that with the vigor and commitment of its staff, it is an achievable target.
- Uncertainties Affecting Early Preparation
Mr Chairman Sir, Distinguished Brothers and Sisters, the uncertainty affecting early preparation for hajj, in Nigeria, is dictated by many factors including, but not limited to:
- Late payment of Hajj fares by intending pilgrims, many of whom are smallholder farmers who depend on seasonal income. Each year we have to wait for an intending pilgrim to mobilize resources and pay for a seat to the State Pilgrim Welfare Board/Agency/Commission and then the fund is transferred to NAHCON when the State’ Agency deemed appropriate.
- Poor or absence of a well-structured sustained hajj saving scheme that is build overtime, on trust and consensus of stakeholders. Payment of hajj fare through an appointed bank from now to the time of airlift by an intending pilgrim in the Hajj saving account is not different from payment into any State Hajj account. There is nothing called “hajj saving Scheme” here. A saving scheme must be made to be of gradual funding of an account over years by a Pilgrim.
- Inability to predict the number of intending pilgrims accurately that will facilitate engagement of Islamic funding institutions to provide the needed resources for early remittance.
- Over-reliance on pilgrim deposits to fund operations, with little use of structured savings schemes.
- Absence or poor legal instrument to support and give guarantee to financing institutions to loan out fund to States or/and NAHCON to enable them meet the important deadlines.
- Absence of a robust Islamic finance framework that could allow institutions to advance funds for early preparations.
- Lack of a comprehensive National Hajj Policy that treats Hajj as not only a spiritual obligation but also a socio-economic activity that has the potentials of improving the socio-economic status of the pilgrims and contribute to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
- Missed opportunities for farmers. In 2017, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) reported that 60% of Nigerian pilgrims were local farmers (then there were still elements of government sponsored Pilgrims). In addition, NAHCON reports show that 95% of Nigerian pilgrims in 2025 were peasant farmers. This influenced the Central Bank’s decision to allow cash-based travel allowances instead of electronic payments, due to limited financial literacy among rural dwellers. However, farmers are unlikely to pay deposits until after harvest, creating serious uncertainty for planning. Most farmers will harvest their produce in December and store it for another two months before selling it. By that time payment of hajj fare will be too late for them, hence the uncertainty about the number to register for the 2026 hajj exercise.
- The Need for a National Hajj Policy
Mr. Chairman Sir, permit me to go back to the need for a National policy on Hajj, which will explore the potentials of the economic benefits to the individual pilgrim and the nation at large. Allah says in the Qur’an (Surat Al-Baqarah verse 198):
“There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during Hajj]. But when you depart from ‘Arafat, remember Allah at al- Mash’ar al-Haram. And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray”.
This verse clarifies that seeking permissible worldly benefits during Hajj is not blameworthy. The pre-Islamic Arabs considered it objectionable to do anything relating to one’s livelihood during the Pilgrimage. In their view, earning one’s living was an act of pure worldliness and hence it was bad to combine it with the performance of a religious duty.
Indeed, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself treats Hajj as both a religious and economic endeavor, generating about $12 billion annually as part of its Vision 2030 diversification strategy. Saudi Arabia intends to boost its numbers of religious tourist arrivals for both the Hajj and the Umrah to 30 million pilgrims by 2030” … “These arrivals will provide a boost to the economy through money spent on food, travel, accommodation and other expenditures”.
AN EXCERPT FROM HAJJ REPORTERS ANNUAL LECTURE MATERIALS
