2026 Hajj: NAHCON unveils guidelines on flights, medicals, others

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The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has released a comprehensive set of directives for the 2026 Hajj, introducing strict new rules on flight management, pilgrim grouping, medical fitness, and data submission.

The measures were announced in a press release titled “NAHCON Directs Airlines to Issue 2026 Hajj Tickets Ahead of Departure,” shared on December 4, 2025 following a meeting with State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and accredited four Hajj carriers at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The Thursday press release was signed by the Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, for Chairman/CEO, NAHCON.

The release stated, “The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has directed all Hajj Carriers for 2026 airlifts in collaboration with States Pilgrims Welfare Boards to issue flight tickets to pilgrims scheduled to travel for the 2026 Hajj.”

The commission stated that the directive is intended to ensure that “every pilgrim is fully aware of his or her exact departure schedule vis-a-vis date, time and place of departure,” adding that this measure is designed “to drastically reduce incidents of incorrect pre-arrival data sent to Saudi Arabia which affects Nusuk card distribution and other logistics.”

A key shift highlighted in the statement is that “beginning with the 2026 Hajj, missing a flight will attract grave consequences.”

NAHCON explained that this is because “each pilgrim’s ticket will be digitally linked to their Nusuk Card, which will be pre-positioned in their assigned buses in Saudi Arabia.”

The commission added that “after visa issuance, a pilgrim cannot change groups again; pilgrims will thereafter maintain the group under which his or her visa was processed.”

Groups will consist of 45 pilgrims who “will travel together under a leader, be lodged together in same hotel in Makkah, Madinah and Masha’ir and return to Nigeria together after Hajj.”

NAHCON further announced that it is mandated to upload vital travel records ahead of movement, stating that “NAHCON must upload pre arrival data on the Nusuk Masar platform 72 hours before departure of any aircraft conveying pilgrims.”

These records include “group numbers, names of group members, accommodation details, building assigned, and bed-space number.”

Any pilgrim absent at departure time “will be treated as a no-show and will bear the penalty, which may include paying for the un-utilised seat.”

The commission noted that “same goes for any defaulting party.”

The statement also drew attention to new procedures introduced by Saudi authorities, “the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah this year introduced a boarding card to be issued to each pilgrim before departure.”

The card will contain “names of airline, its capacity, name of state, name and number of pilgrims on board, departure airport, time and destination airport, arrival time and arrival airport.”

On preparations, the release conveyed that “the commission has concluded its camp booking and other services,” but warned that if accommodation bookings do not match, “Saudi Arabia will return the excess amount back to NAHCON’S account by implication no that slot will be forfeited.”

Meanwhile, state boards were urged “to expedite remittance of Hajj fare payments so as not to lose more slots.”

The commission also reiterated health compliance rules, stating that “Saudi Arabia’s new medical fitness requirement must be strictly enforced as there will be penalties.”

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has warned that “any pilgrim found to have any of the nine disqualifying medical conditions should not travel for Hajj and will bear the full cost of their deportation if they do so.”

To ensure compliance, NAHCON directed State Pilgrims Welfare Boards “to partner only with credible, certified hospitals for the issuance of medical fitness certificates against those diseases.”

The conditions listed include “major organ failures—expressly heart, liver, kidney, and lungs; cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy or any biological treatment,” as well as “psychiatric or neurological disorders that impair cognition or accompanied by severe motor disability, senility accompanied by dementia, high risk pregnancies at any stage, and active infectious diseases.”

The release added that “Airline Allocation for 2026 Hajj has been communicated to each State Pilgrims’ Board,” though it noted the distribution “is subject to change due to technical and infrastructural reviews.”

NAHCON listed the approved carriers as Air Peace, Fly Nas, Max Air and Umza Air.

NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, reaffirmed the need for unity of purpose, stating that the Chairman “reiterated the need for cooperation between the state pilgrims boards, airlines and the Commission, stating that NAHCON’s success is every one’s success.”

Tosin, with over six years' experience, conducts incisive interviews, pens engaging features, subedits and delivers impactful stories for the digital sphere.

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