The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has held a post-Hajj strategic meeting with Chairmen and Secretaries of State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards to assess the 2025 Hajj operations and begin preparations for the 2026 exercise.

The meeting, held on Thursday at the Hajj House headquarters in Abuja, was chaired by NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, who commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support to Nigerian pilgrims. He credited the Federal Government’s intervention for enabling Hajj carriers to accept payments in Naira, shielding pilgrims from foreign exchange volatility.

Usman also praised the government’s directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend its earlier policy requiring Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) payments via credit cards only—a measure he said could have disadvantaged many pilgrims due to limited sensitisation.

The meeting featured deliberations led by NAHCON Commissioners, with Prof. Abubakar Abubakar Yagawal discussing the 2026 Hajj calendar, and Prince Anofiu Elegushi leading talks on operational matters, including the possible rollover of contracts for the four airlines used in 2025.

After the discussions, NAHCON announced a tentative ₦8.5 million as the provisional fare for the 2026 Hajj, pending final negotiations. Usman confirmed that Nigeria has retained its 95,000-slot allocation from Saudi Arabia, with state allocations unchanged from last year.

Chairman of the Forum of States’ Executive Secretaries, Alhaji Idris Almakura, urged NAHCON to strengthen collaboration with state boards and expedite resolution of pending issues from the 2025 exercise.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from all stakeholders to provide feedback on unresolved matters after consultations with their respective states.