ABU, NAHCON Sign MoU to Launch MBA in Hajj Operations Management
The partnership will see Ahmadu Bello University award a specialised MBA aimed at professionalising Hajj administration through academic training, research and industry collaboration.
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a specialised Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Hajj Operations Management, marking a significant step towards professionalising the management of pilgrimage services in Nigeria.
The agreement, signed on Friday at the Hajj House in Abuja, establishes a partnership between ABU’s Distance Learning Centre and the NAHCON Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) for the joint development and delivery of the MBA Hajj Operations Management (MBA-HOM) programme.
The initiative is intended to provide structured academic and professional training for Hajj and Umrah administrators through joint curriculum development, specialised courses, executive education programmes, internships, field attachments, research, innovation and international collaboration.
While the programme will draw heavily on NAHCON’s operational expertise, Ahmadu Bello University will retain full academic responsibility for the degree.
The university will admit qualified candidates, secure and maintain academic accreditation, provide teaching staff, conduct examinations, moderate results and award the MBA in Hajj Operations Management.
ABU will also be responsible for academic administration, learner support services and ensuring that the programme complies with the university’s quality assurance standards.
NAHCON, through its Hajj Institute of Nigeria, will provide technical leadership on Hajj and Umrah operations, nominate experienced industry practitioners as adjunct lecturers and resource persons, subject to the university’s academic requirements, and facilitate practical training, field visits and internship placements within Nigeria and abroad.
The agreement also provides a framework for preserving and disseminating research produced under the programme, while affirming that intellectual property and authorship rights belonging to students and the university will remain protected.
The MoU was signed on behalf of Ahmadu Bello University by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adamu Ahmed, while the Chairman of NAHCON, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, signed for the Commission.
The ceremony was witnessed by senior officials from both institutions, including ABU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Advancement, Research and Innovation, Professor Sanusi Aliyu Rafindadi; the Registrar, Rabiu Samaila; Director of the Distance Learning Centre, Professor M. B. Mu’azu; Director of the CBN Centre for Economics and Finance, Professor Auwal Haruna; Director of Public Affairs, Auwalu Umar; Assistant Director for Advancement, Dr Ahmed Zakariyya; and Principal Technical Officer (Photography), Tajuddeen Kamaluddeen Usman.
Also in attendance were the Rector of the Hajj Institute of Nigeria, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare, alongside members of the Commission’s management team.
The initiative comes as Nigeria’s Hajj administration undergoes wider reforms aimed at improving professionalism and operational efficiency. By combining academic instruction with practical industry experience, the programme is expected to strengthen the capacity of professionals responsible for managing Hajj and Umrah operations in Nigeria.
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