NAHCON seeks phased implementation of Saudi Hajj reform
NAHCON says Saudi plans to move about 98 per cent of Nigeria’s Hajj quota to private operators cannot be implemented overnight without risking chaos in Nigeria’s pilgrimage administration. Chairman Ambassador Ismail Abba Yussuf disclosed the position after briefing government officials at the State House, Abuja, on reforms proposed by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. He explained that Nigeria’s Hajj has for decades been coordinated through NAHCON and State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, making a sudden switch to a predominantly private model both operationally and economically challenging. According to a statement by the Office of the Vice President, Yussuf said an immediate adoption could undermine existing government‑to‑government agreements with Saudi Arabia, disrupt established processes, weaken the statutory roles of state boards and hurt the affordability and accessibility of Hajj for ordinary Nigerians. He stressed that the commission is not […]
