The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Usman, has resigned from his position.
The resignation was confirmed late Monday by his media assistant, Ahmed Muazu. As of the time of filing this report, no official reason has been given for his decision.
Professor Usman was appointed chairman of NAHCON in 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He supervised his first Hajj operation in 2025, marking his initial experience managing Nigeria’s Hajj affairs at the national level. He replaced Jalal Arabi, who was removed from office following allegations of misappropriation of funds allocated for the 2024 Hajj exercise.
Mr Usman’s tenure, though brief, was marked by persistent controversies and internal tensions within the commission. Key among these were allegations of financial mismanagement linked to the 2025 Hajj operations, which reportedly strained relationships among NAHCON’s leadership and attracted public scrutiny.
The crisis escalated in January 2026 when some commissioners reportedly submitted a petition to President Tinubu, passing a vote of no confidence in the chairman. The petition cited alleged leadership shortcomings and administrative lapses.
In response to the growing unrest, Vice President Kashim Shettima intervened by convening a meeting with relevant stakeholders approximately two weeks ago in an effort to resolve the disputes and restore stability within the commission.
Professor Usman’s resignation introduces fresh uncertainty regarding the leadership of NAHCON and raises concerns about the preparedness and management of Nigeria’s Hajj operations ahead of the 2026 pilgrimage.
Earlier in January , Hotjist reported that the commissions’ board passed vote of no confidence in the chairman, seeking his removal.
