The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has concluded arrangements to commence the 2025 Hajj operations, with the airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia starting from May 9, 2025.
The update was disclosed Tuesday after the NAHCON board briefed Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa on preparations for the 2025 Hajj operations.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Operations, Inspectorate and Licensing, Prince Anofi Elegushi, said arrangements had been made in Mecca, Medina and other cities for a hitch-free exercise.
“We have all of our accommodation intact in Mecca, Medina and other locations. They are ready to take our pilgrims; we have secured enough bed spaces and paid for adequate feeding for our pilgrims.
“We have picked May 9 for our first flight to Saudi Arabia through Medina. We intend to finish the airlift to Saudi Arabia by May 24 and start the return by 13th of June to end 2nd of July.
“All hands are on deck, and I can assure all Nigerian pilgrims that they are in safe hands. Adequate arrangements have been made for airlift in and out of Saudi Arabia. We have made arrangements for over 40,000 pilgrims, including officials from the states and 13,000 others from the tour operators,” he said.
Also, NAHCON Chairman Professor Saleh Abdullahi Usman said Vice President Shettima was delighted at the level of the Commission’s preparations for the exercise.
Earlier, Vice President said: “All necessary measures must be taken to guarantee the success of the 2025 Hajj. We owe it to all Nigerians and our pilgrims to ensure a smooth and spiritually fulfilling experience.”
…Meeting with states
A similar meeting was also held Tuesday with the State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board Executive Secretaries under the Forum of States, including representatives of the airlines.
The meeting, according to a statement by Fatima Sanda Usara, an assistant director in the Commission, was to assess the level of preparedness of the State Pilgrims’ Boards.
Usara said: “The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, held a meeting with State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board Executive Secretaries under the Forum of States today 22nd of April 2025. The meeting is to assess level of preparedness of the State Pilgrims’ Boards.
“In his Opening Speech, NAHCON Chairman Professor Abdullah Saleh Usman reminded the house that the Hajj industry is in the last lap of preparation before commencement of 2025 Hajj season. He called on the states to update NAHCON on the level each state has reached in Visa production, vaccination, bags procurement and other sundry matters.
“During the meeting, Honorable Commissioner Operations, Prince Anofi Elegushi disclosed that Air Peace has been assigned 5,128 pilgrims cumulative from Abia state, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Armed Forces, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, Rivers, and Taraba.
“FlyNas on the other hand was allocated 12,506 pilgrims from Federal Capital Territory, (FCT Abuja), Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara states. FlyNas is bringing in nine aircraft for the operation.
“Max Air is airlifting pilgrims from Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Oyo and Plateau states. The airline promised to conclude airlift of its 15, 203 maximum by 24th of May. Two aircraft will be deployed for the operation- a B747 with 400 capacity and the second aircraft with a 560 capacity.
“Umza has been allocated 10,163 pilgrims from Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Niger and Yobe states. Umza is deploying two aircraft a B747 with 477 capacity and a B777 with 310 capacity.”
“The 2025 Hajj airlift distribution was calculated on a total of 43,000 pilgrims. The Commissioner Planning Research Statistics Information & Library Services (PRSILS), Prof Abubakar Yagawal informed the house of the level of the Commission’s preparedness in terms of clinics secured in Makkah and Madinah, distribution of Yellow Cards to states and finally reminded them not to enroll pregnant women for the Hajj exercise.
“The meeting further deliberated and settled on 9th of May as date of inaugural flight to be concluded by 24th of May. The inbound flight is tentatively scheduled to commence from 13th June to end by 2nd July,” the statement added.
…Kano distributes items
Meanwhile, the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board (KNSPWB) has commenced the distribution of essential Hajj materials for the use of the state’s pilgrims.
It urged all intending pilgrims to make proper use of the provided items and refrain from bringing any additional items that are not approved by the government.
A statement issued Monday by the board’s public relations officer, Sulaiman A. Dederi, quoted the agency’s director general, Alhaji Lamin Rabi’u Danbappa, as directing all intending pilgrims to contact their respective Local Government Hajj Centre Officers for collection of the materials.
Danbappa appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria, through NAHCON, to consider avoiding the use of ATM cards for pilgrims, and stressed the need to provide cash as the Basic Traveling Allowance (BTA) to ease access for the pilgrims.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Alhaji Yusuf Lawan, advised the pilgrims to make good use of the distributed items.
The items being distributed include hand luggage, uniforms for both male and female pilgrims, hijabs, hand rings, and small bags for storing money and important documents.