The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has issued a strong advisory to all stakeholders in the 2025 Hajj operations, cautioning against unauthorized arrangements, particularly with regard to Tent A+ services.
Despite persistent efforts by NAHCON to persuade the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to reopen the visa portal—even for a brief period—the request was ultimately unsuccessful. The Commission expressed sadness over this outcome and extended its consolation to affected intending pilgrims, encouraging them to remain steadfast in faith, as Hajj is ultimately a divine calling.
NAHCON urged future pilgrims to prioritize early planning and timely completion of registration processes in order to avoid disappointment.
EFFORTS TO ACCOMMODATE MORE PILGRIMS
To mitigate the situation, NAHCON had earlier intervened by securing Masha’ir slots for Hajj coordinators across both public and private sectors. Throughout the registration period, the Commission facilitated the extension of deadlines on four separate occasions—from fare remittance stages to visa issuance deadlines.
Despite repeated public notices that visa issuance would end on April 19, 2025, a number of intending pilgrims submitted their Hajj payments late. In response to widespread appeals, NAHCON formally requested an extension of visa processing, which was granted. However, visa issuance was finally blocked on May 19, 2025.
The one-month extension proved beneficial to many State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and Tour Operators still finalizing logistics. Nevertheless, the closure affected 2,717 late-registering pilgrims from both public and private sectors. As of the visa portal shutdown, 13,217 out of 14,158 registered private-sector pilgrims had received visas an indication of strong participation by Tour Operator Companies.
NAHCON further acted within its legal capacity to support licensed operators, thereby expanding their ability to serve more pilgrims.
WARNING AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED ARRANGEMENTS
However, NAHCON has received credible reports that some operators are engaging unauthorized third parties to secure premium Tent A+ services—bypassing the Commission’s official arrangements. NAHCON unequivocally states that Rawaf Mina Company is the only authorized provider for Tent A+ services for the 2025 Hajj.
The Commission warns that it will not be held responsible for any consequences resulting from unauthorized arrangements made by operators. All Tour Operators are therefore strongly advised to refrain from any dealings that could endanger pilgrim welfare or breach Saudi Arabian regulations.
CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PILGRIM WELFARE
NAHCON reiterates its commitment to working in collaboration with the Saudi authorities to protect the interests of Nigerian pilgrims. The Commission calls on all Hajj stakeholders to operate strictly within officially endorsed guidelines to ensure a safe, coordinated, and internationally compliant pilgrimage experience.
