The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has directed State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to immediately refund intending pilgrims who could not be registered for the 2026 Hajj, as Saudi Arabia’s visa deadline approaches.
The directive was issued during a strategic stakeholders’ meeting held at the Commission’s headquarters, Hajj House, Abuja, where NAHCON reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, professionalism and strict regulatory oversight in the conduct of the 2026 pilgrimage.
The meeting was attended by commissioners, board members, executive secretaries and chairmen of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, members of the Forum of State Executive Secretaries, the Medical Mission team and management staff.
In a statement issued on Monday, NAHCON said the newly appointed Chairman, Ismail Yusuf, clarified that the reduction in Nigeria’s Hajj quota for 2026 was part of a global adjustment affecting several participating countries and not a decision targeted at Nigeria.
He explained that the cut was due to logistical capacity considerations and evolving regulatory measures introduced by Saudi authorities.
“Nigeria was not singled out. Nigeria’s allocation for the 2026 Hajj stands at 40,250 pilgrims, excluding tour operators. However, uploaded data from states reportedly exceeded the approved figure,” he said, urging state officials to correct public misconceptions surrounding the quota reduction.
Yusuf directed states to urgently reconcile their data and withdraw excess entries to prevent operational bottlenecks.
