Ahead of the 2023 Hajj exercise, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) pilgrims’ welfare boards and the Armed Forces will share 75,000 of the 95,000 slots of hajj seats allocated to Nigeria by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj.
NAHCON disclosed this, Tuesday, in a statement by Assistant Director Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki.
According to the statement, this was contained in a Memorandum of Understanding for the 2023 Hajj signed on Monday between the NAHCON and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj at the Super Dome Centre in Jeddah Saudi Arabia.
According to the statement, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubair Dada, signed the document on behalf of Nigeria and was witnessed by chairman CEO of NAHCON , Alh. Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, the three executive Commissioners, Alh Nura Hassan Yakassai, Alh. Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa and Sheikh Suleman Mommoh, board members and staff of the commission.
“One of the highlights of the document is the confirmation of 95,000 Hajj slots to the country in this year’s Hajj with 75,000 allocated to the 36 state pilgrims welfare boards /Agency/Commissions, including the FCT and Armed forces, while 20,000 is allocated to the private tour operators,” the statement said.
On the side line of the MOU, the delegation met with the Mutawwif of African Non- Arab, whose Chairman Ahmad Sindi, assured the country of its readiness to make the 2023 Hajj better than the previous years. He further disclosed that his agency in a bid to create more rooms and space to pilgrims have adopted the use of double deck bed at the Mashair for some countries this year.
He therefore urged the participating countries to work assiduously to achieve a hitch- free Hajj 2023.
