Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has rejected allegations that it diverted 5,000 slots from Nigeria’s 2027 Hajj allocation, describing the claims as unfounded, unsubstantiated and driven by commercial interests within the private Hajj industry.
The commission was reacting to a report published by THISDAY newspaper titled, “Hajj 2027: Private Operators Demand Probe of Diverted 5,000 Slots,” as well as what it described as a broader campaign of misinformation by a select group of licensed private tour operators. In a statement signed by its Head of Information and Publications Division, Shafii Sani Mohammed, NAHCON said no evidence had been presented to establish that the allocation of the disputed slots violated Saudi Arabian Hajj regulations, the commission’s own guidelines or any policy governing Hajj operations in Nigeria. “The Commission is aware of a coordinated and diversionary campaign built around entirely unfounded allegations of Hajj slot diversion,” the statement read. “Rather than presenting evidence of wrongdoing, the allegations appear designed to shift attention away from the inability of certain operators to comply with the strict regulatory requirements, timelines, and digital upload obligations established by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the 2027 Hajj exercise.”
The commission questioned the reliance of the report on claims attributed to unnamed individuals described as “Concerned Private Travel Operators,” saying the anonymity of the accusers made it impossible for the public to assess their credibility, standing or motives. “Readers are not informed who these operators are, whether they are established stakeholders, unsuccessful applicants, competing companies, or parties whose commercial interests may have been affected by the current allocation framework,” Mohammed said. He stressed that despite the sensational nature of the allegations, no documentation had been produced to establish any breach. “At no point has it been demonstrated that the allocation of the disputed 5,000 slots violated Saudi Arabian Hajj regulations, NAHCON guidelines, or any policy governing Hajj operations in Nigeria,” he said. “The concerns raised are largely framed around perceptions and commercial grievances rather than documented breaches of established rules or procedures.”
The commission clarified that Nigeria’s approved allocation for the 2027 Hajj is 50,000 slots, comprising 35,000 slots for the states and the Federal Capital Territory and 15,000 slots for duly licensed private Hajj tour operators. The 15,000 private-sector slots, it said, were allocated to licensed operators functioning under seven approved lead companies in compliance with Nigerian regulatory requirements and the guidelines of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. NAHCON emphasised that all participating companies were incorporated and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and other relevant government regulatory agencies, and that they had undergone the applicable regulatory processes and obtained NAHCON licences to operate for the 2027 season. The companies remain subject to the same regulatory requirements, compliance obligations, sanctions and disciplinary measures applicable to all licensed operators.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of a significant reduction in Nigeria’s Hajj quota. In 2025, Saudi Arabia allocated 95,000 slots to Nigeria, a figure the country had maintained for over a decade. For the 2026 Hajj, that allocation was cut to 50,000, comprising 40,250 slots for state pilgrims’ welfare boards and 9,750 for licensed private tour operators. The same 50,000-slot ceiling has been retained for 2027, prompting the Federal Government to formally request an upward review. Saudi authorities declined the request, citing capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and the need to maintain strict adherence to approved country quotas. NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ismail Yusuf, said the commission appreciated the deep spiritual desire of many Nigerian Muslims to perform the pilgrimage and understood the disappointment the decision caused, but noted that every effort had been made to secure additional slots.
The reduction in the quota has intensified competition among operators for a finite number of slots, a dynamic NAHCON identified as the underlying driver of the controversy. The commission said the dispute appeared to be largely commercial, given that hundreds of operators compete for a limited number of Hajj slots. It argued that changes in allocation structures, the emergence of new entrants and adjustments to existing arrangements could naturally generate disagreements among operators whose commercial interests were affected. “Viewed from this perspective, the dispute appears less about protecting pilgrims and more about competition within the Hajj industry,” Mohammed said. “Whether some stakeholders agree with NAHCON’s explanation is a separate matter; however, fairness demands that the Commission’s position be considered on its merits rather than overshadowed by allegations and insinuations.”
Central to the commission’s response is the impending deadline set by Saudi authorities for the upload of pilgrims’ biometric and registration data on the Nusuk-Masar digital platform. NAHCON said the portal closes irrevocably on September 26, 2026, and that the deadline is a directive of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which the commission has no authority to extend by even a minute. The commission warned that operators who fail to upload their clients’ data or fulfil their contractual obligations before the portal closes will bear full responsibility for the consequences. It said it would not hesitate to invoke regulatory sanctions, including suspension, revocation of licences and blacklisting from future Hajj operations. “NAHCON will not tolerate a situation where the spiritual aspirations and hard-earned resources of Nigerian pilgrims are jeopardised by operators who refuse to comply with established procedures,” Mohammed said. Intending pilgrims who registered through private travel agencies were advised to urgently verify the status of their enrolment and ensure their biometric and registration details have been successfully uploaded before the deadline.
The controversy has also drawn attention to the broader challenges facing Nigeria’s Hajj administration. The quota reduction has placed significant pressure on state pilgrims’ welfare boards and private operators alike, while the digitisation of registration through the Nusuk-Masar platform has introduced new compliance requirements that some operators have struggled to meet. NAHCON said it was documenting instances of deliberate misinformation and diversionary tactics capable of misleading intending pilgrims and undermining confidence in the Hajj administration process, and that it would not be distracted by campaigns driven by undisclosed interests. For the thousands of Nigerian Muslims hoping to perform the pilgrimage in 2027, the immediate concern is not the dispute between the commission and operators but whether their own registrations will be completed in time. The commission’s message was unambiguous: the deadline is fixed, the portal will close, and the responsibility for compliance rests with the operators. Whether the allegations of slot diversion are ever substantiated through evidence rather than anonymous claims remains to be seen, but for now, NAHCON has staked its position on a simple proposition: show the proof, or stop the campaign.
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