For decades, Nigeria had some of the largest contingents in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage.
But within two Hajj cycles, the number of pilgrims fell sharply, leaving thousands facing the prospect of postponing a religious obligation they may have spent years preparing for.
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The story, however, is more complicated than Saudi Arabia’s reduction of the country’s slots.
The slide from 95,000
Nigeria was allocated 95,000 slots for the 2025 Hajj. By May 2025, only about 64,188 pilgrims had registered, while fewer than 60,000 eventually travelled to Saudi Arabia through the government and licensed private tour operators.
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In 2026, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) secured spaces for about 52,000 pilgrims, but fewer Nigerians still eventually travelled.
Several factors led to this situation, including late registration and payment by intending pilgrims, difficulties completing payments, delays in remitting funds, and the closure of the Saudi visa portal.
Saudi Arabia subsequently reduced Nigeria’s actual Masha’ir spaces for 2026 to 66,910, but the operational quota fell to 50,000.
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NAHCON repeatedly warned pilgrims and state pilgrims’ welfare boards to respect registration and payment deadlines.
Every underutilisation of allocations subsequently became an issue in Nigeria’s Hajj planning, with Saudi authorities reducing the number of Mashair spaces for the following cycle.
Some Nigerians who registered and paid for the 2025 Hajj could not travel, particularly those affected by the closure of the Saudi visa portal.
NAHCON said the visa issuance window closed, affecting 2,717 late-registration pilgrims, despite the Commission’s efforts to secure further extensions.
The Commission then began reconciling and refunding affected pilgrims.
By September 2025, NAHCON said it had reconciled refunds involving 19 states that had requested reconciliation.
The experience exposed the importance of completing registration, payment, biometric and visa processes within the deadlines set by both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
New NAHCON leadership
With the coming of the new NAHCON Chairman, Isma’il Abba-Yusuf, the Commission made early preparation a priority, consistently urging intending pilgrims to register and pay early while calling on state pilgrims’ welfare boards to intensify enlightenment campaigns.
NAHCON has also stressed the need for pilgrims and state authorities to understand and comply with new Saudi regulations, particularly the increasingly technology-driven Hajj process.
The emphasis on early registration and compliance was evident ahead of the 2027 Hajj.
Nigeria subsequently secured an additional 10,000 slots, raising its allocation from 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims.
The development follows sustained discussions between NAHCON and Saudi authorities and provides more space for Nigerian pilgrims, while also placing greater responsibility on the Commission and state authorities to ensure the available slots are fully utilised.
From Arabi to Usman, then Yusuf
The contrast with the 2024 Hajj administration under Jalal Arabi is significant.
Under Mr Arabi, NAHCON completed visa processing and other preparations ahead of the airlift and moved Nigerian pilgrims efficiently through the Hajj operation.
But the administration ended amid an EFCC investigation into alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj intervention fund provided by the federal government.
Mr Arabi was subsequently removed by President Bola Tinubu.
Abdullahi Usman, a professor, succeeded him, but his tenure was marked by internal disagreements and controversies.
He resigned in February 2026 amid the crisis.
Ismail Yusuf, a former diplomat, subsequently took over, inheriting a commission facing not only internal restructuring but also a radically changing Saudi Hajj management system.
The pilgrims’ frustration
When PREMIUM TIMES spoke to some Nigerians, the concerns were shared across the country
Hassan Mohammed, who lives in Kaduna, said Nigeria should have done more to ensure that its traditional allocation was fully utilised.
“The painful part is that we had the opportunity to use the seats. We should not have allowed thousands of allocations to go unused,” he said.
Almustapha Ahmed, a Sokoto resident, said the reduction would particularly affect families that had spent years preparing financially for Hajj.
“Hajj is not something people decide to do overnight. Families save for years. When the allocation disappears, ordinary Nigerians bear the consequences.”
Rafiu AbdulRauf, who spoke from Oyo State, questioned whether NAHCON and state authorities acted early enough when the warning signs emerged.
“NAHCON and the states should have anticipated that Saudi Arabia would look at utilisation. The warning signs were already there.”
Garba Mukhtar, an indigene of Yobe State, said Nigeria must improve its administrative preparation.
“We cannot continue with late registration, late payments and administrative bottlenecks and then expect Saudi Arabia to keep reserving spaces for us.”
AbdulWahab Isiaka, who resides in Lagos, raised concerns about the growing political influence around Hajj administration.
“The political interest surrounding Hajj must not become more important than the pilgrim. The person paying for Hajj should be at the centre of every decision ” Mr Isiaka said.
But the concerns extend beyond the reduction.
Nigerians also want greater accountability over how allocations are distributed, how pilgrims are selected and how private operators are regulated.
Saudi Arabia’s new rules
Saudi Arabia is transforming Hajj administration through technology.
Pilgrim data, biometrics, visas, accommodation, transport and other services are increasingly being synchronised through digital platforms, including Nusuk-Masar.
The new system leaves less room for administrative delays. Missed deadlines, incomplete data, or failure to synchronise pilgrims’ information can result in lost spaces.
Saudi Arabia is also encouraging private operators to take on a greater role. Under the emerging model, NAHCON would increasingly serve as regulator and monitor, while licensed companies handle more operational responsibilities.
That transition could improve efficiency, but it also raises questions about consumer protection, pricing and accountability.
Can Ambassador Yusuf reverse the decline?
Mr Yusuf came in at perhaps the most consequential period in NAHCON’s history. His recent reforms have focused on early planning, digitalisation, transparency and professionalising Hajj operations.
He has also engaged Saudi authorities over Nigeria’s reduced allocation and sought additional places for Nigerian pilgrims.
Nevertheless, diplomacy alone may not restore the lost quota.
READ ALSO: NAHCON pushes sustainable Hajj fund management digital transformation at global forum
Nigeria must show it can register pilgrims early, pay on time, provide accurate data, and use every seat allocated to it.
The bigger question
Nigeria’s Hajj crisis is therefore not simply a story of 95,000 seats becoming 60,000. It is a story of a changing Saudi system, declining utilisation, administrative weaknesses, political interference and the urgent need for institutional reform.
For Mr Yusuf, the challenge is to restore confidence in NAHCON and ensure that Nigeria never again loses valuable Hajj opportunities because of avoidable failures.
For the Nigerian pilgrim, the demand is simpler: if Saudi Arabia gives a seat, Nigeria must ensure it is occupied.
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