The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has urged all stakeholders to comply with the timelines set by the Saudi Arabian authorities for next year’s Hajj operations.
The commission warned that there would be no deadline extensions for visa processing, payments, or contractual agreements.
This was the commission’s central message at the post-Hajj stakeholders’ meeting with Licensed Tour Operator Companies yesterday at the Hajj House in Abuja.
A statement by Shafii’i Sani Mohammed of the commission’s Information and Publications Division said the meeting was chaired by NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, accompanied by several stakeholders from the commission.
Usman praised state pilgrims’ welfare boards, private tour operators, and service providers for their contributions to the success of this year’s Hajj operations.
The NAHCON chairman acknowledged the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying this enabled Nigerian pilgrims to perform their Hajj duties with dignity, comfort, and peace of mind.
Commenting on the operational guidelines for the 2026 Hajj, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, advised stakeholders to strictly follow the official Saudi Hajj calendar and make early preparations.
According to him, the Saudis have made it very clear that the dates on their calendar will not be extended by even a minute.
Elegushi reminded stakeholders of lasy year’s experience, where many assumed that Saudi authorities would grant extensions but missed the deadlines and lost participation slots.
