Hajj: NAHCON orders refund of intending pilgrims affected by late payment

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has directed State Pilgrim Welfare Boards to promptly refund pilgrims who will not participate in the 2026 hajj to prevent financial disputes and maintain public trust.

The commission had earlier disclosed that some Nigerians would miss the 2026 pilgrimage following the early closure of data registration by Saudi authorities.

It explained that the development would particularly affect those who made late payments, as allocation was implemented on a first come, first served basis.

In a statement, NAHCON Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, clarified that the reduction in Hajj quota for 2026 is a global measure affecting several participating countries and not specifically targeted at Nigeria.

He attributed the adjustment to logistical capacity considerations and evolving regulatory measures introduced by the Saudi authorities.

According to him, Nigeria’s allocation stands at 40,250 pilgrims, excluding tour operators, while the number of uploaded data reportedly exceeded the approved quota.

He therefore directed states to urgently reconcile their records and withdraw excess entries to prevent operational bottlenecks.

Speaking at a strategic stakeholders’ meeting attended by commissioners, board members, executive secretaries and chairmen of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, members of the forum of state executive secretaries, the medical mission team and management staff, the chairman urged officials to address public misconceptions suggesting that Nigeria was singled out.

NAHCON emphasised that Saudi authorities have fixed a firm visa deadline of 1 Shawwal, with no indication of extension.

“To meet the deadline, state pilgrims’ boards were therefore instructed to conclude medical screenings, documentation and data uploads within the prescribed operational window to ensure timely visa issuance. The commission also warned against substitution on flight manifests due to integration between airline bookings and accommodation systems.”

It disclosed plans to deploy monitoring teams to Saudi Arabia to assess feeding, accommodation, sanitation and overall service delivery, adding that best performing states may receive national recognition, while non-compliance will attract sanctions.

The chairman reiterated that private hospitals are not permitted to conduct Hajj certification.

NAHCON also announced plans to establish a dedicated coordination platform to streamline medical processes nationwide.

“In a major relief for intending pilgrims, the new Chairman announced that the Yellow Card fee has been reduced from N5,000 to N2,000 for the 2026 Hajj exercise following engagement with relevant health authorities. It was disclosed that Port Health Services will directly supervise issuance and authentication of vaccination certificates, as Saudi authorities are introducing stricter verification protocols, including biometric checks.”

NAHCON further announced strict monitoring of airline performance during Hajj operations, warning that underperforming carriers may have pilgrims reassigned to better performing airlines.

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