The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) , has announced a tentative deposit of ₦8.5 million as the provisional fare for the 2026 Hajj pending the final negotiations on all service contracts.
The commission also announced that Nigeria retained its 95,000-slot allocation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while allocation of slots to state welfare boards remains as it was last year.
The NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman made the announcement on Thursday at the strategic post- Hajj meeting with Chairmen and Secretaries of State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards.
The strategic meeting, which centered on review of the 2025 Hajj operations and 2026 preparation, took place at the Hajj House Headquarters, Abuja.
The NAHCON Chairman expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his steadfast support to Nigerian pilgrims and the Commission.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s intervention that enabled Hajj carriers to accept payments in Naira, shielding pilgrims from foreign exchange shocks.
Professor Usman also commended Federal Government for directing Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend its earlier policy mandating credit card-only payments for Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) to pilgrims.
He encouraged participants to offer frank, constructive evaluations of the 2025 exercise, focusing on what worked, the challenges encountered, and areas for improvement.
In his submission, the Chairman of the Forum of States Executive Secretaries, Alhaji Idris Almakura Executive Secretary (ES) Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrims’ Board, thanked NAHCON for organizing the meeting. He urged the Commission to strengthen collaboration with state boards through improved communication and timely clarifications.
He also called for expedited reconciliation of pending matters from the 2025 Hajj, to ensure a smooth transition into 2026 planning.
