BY AHMED AKANBI
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has blocked Saudi Arabia’s move to privatise Nigeria’s Hajj operations, securing a three-year transition deal from the new Business-to-Business (B2B) model.
NAHCON’s North East Commissioner, Alhaji Abba Kato Jato, disclosed this midweek during a courtesy visit to Borno State Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur, in Maiduguri.
Jato informed that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had proposed shifting 98 percent of Nigeria’s Hajj quota to private tour operators under the B2B model from 2027.
He said NAHCON rejected the proposal outright, warning that an immediate shift would collapse Nigeria’s financial and administrative structures and make Hajj unaffordable for ordinary pilgrims.
“Through intense negotiation, we secured a critical concession. Only 30 per cent of our quota will move to the new model in 2027,” Jato said.
According to him, the concession gives Nigeria three years to prepare for full adoption while allowing states, banks and stakeholders to adjust their systems to the emerging Saudi framework.
The commissioner also announced tight new rules for Hajj 2027, including a September 26, 2026 deadline for uploading complete pilgrim registration data, with no extension expected from Saudi authorities.
He said compliance with Saudi health regulations would be strictly enforced, including medical fitness certification for all pilgrims.
Jato warned that Saudi Arabia would bar pilgrims with serious conditions such as major organ failure, severe neurological or psychiatric conditions, pregnancy and active infectious diseases.
Responding, the deputy governor, Kadafur said the state government would prioritize registration, documentation and payment to beat the deadline.
He assured that Governor Babagana Zulum’s administration would work to make Borno a model state in implementing the new framework and ensure no pilgrim is left behind.