ICYMI: NAHCON SETS FEB 14 DEADLINE FOR REMITTANCE OF 2025 HAJJ FARES
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has set a deadline of February 14 for licensed private tour operators involved in 2025 Hajj operations to remit the fares paid by their intending pilgrims into their respective International Bank Account Number (IBAN) accounts. This is to ensure timely processing for visa issuance by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which begins on February 19.
NAHCON Chairman and CEO, Professor Abdullah Saleh Usman, made this announcement during a meeting with tour operators on Thursday night at the commission’s office in Ummul Jud, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, where discussions on preparations for the 2025 Hajj operations were held.
In her remarks, NAHCON Assistant Director of Information and Publications, Fatima Sanda Usara, noted that the Chairman emphasized the importance of their presence in Saudi Arabia to enhance service delivery for Nigerian pilgrims. Usman urged all involved to focus on fostering understanding to improve the quality of services provided to Nigerian pilgrims.
Usara added that the Chairman encouraged participants to offer questions, observations, suggestions, and constructive criticism as part of efforts to enhance the overall experience for pilgrims performing the Hajj this year.
Usara disclosed that the meeting resolved that licensed private tour operators are free to affiliate with any of the 10 leading companies across the zones, provided the lead company has not exceeded the 2,000-pilgrim limit. As such, the 10 lead companies remain unchanged.
She added that NAHCON and the tour operators reaffirmed their shared commitment to prioritizing the best interests of pilgrims by ensuring high-quality services while promoting inclusivity throughout the process. Both parties emphasized the importance of mutual accommodation to achieve a seamless Hajj exercise.
The meeting with the licensed private tour operators on Thursday followed a similar engagement held earlier with the Executive Secretaries of State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards. This earlier meeting, chaired by NAHCON Chairman Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman alongside top management officials, including commissioners, took place on Sunday, January 12. Both parties resolved to collaborate in the best interests of Nigerian pilgrims.
Nigerian stakeholders in the Hajj industry are currently in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Hajj and Umrah Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah, which forms part of preparations for the 2025 Hajj.
On Sunday, the Nigerian delegation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the 2025 Hajj with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Jeddah. This formalized the agreement between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj exercise.
NAHCON Chairman and CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat, signed on behalf of the Kingdom.
The Nigerian delegation, led by Prof. Usman, included notable figures such as Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs; Honourable Jafaru Muhammed Ali, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Muslim Pilgrimage; Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo, Nigeria’s Chargé d’affaires in Riyadh; Ambassador Mu’azzam I.J. Nayaya, Nigeria’s Consul-General in Jeddah; and Ambassador Mahmud Lele from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
