Hajj 2027: NAHCON Prepares Operators for 30% Private-Sector Shift
Commission begins two-day training programme as Nigeria prepares licensed Hajj and Umrah operators for a phased transition to greater private-sector participation from 2027.
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has commenced a two-day professional capacity-building programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators as Nigeria prepares for increased private-sector participation in Hajj operations from 2027.
The Professional Certificate Programme in Hajj/Umrah Operations and Pilgrim Service Management, being held in Kano and Lagos on Monday, October 26, and Tuesday, October 27, is organised by the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) in collaboration with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON).
Declaring the programme open, NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the initiative would prepare Nigerian operators for changes in the global Hajj industry driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms and the emerging business-to-business (B2B) model.
Under the new model, the management of Hajj pilgrims is expected to transition increasingly towards the private sector.
Yusuf disclosed that NAHCON had secured a three-year phased transition arrangement with the Saudi authorities, beginning with 30 per cent private-sector participation in the 2027 Hajj.
He said the phased arrangement would provide time for Nigeria to strengthen its regulatory framework and prepare operators for increased responsibilities.
The NAHCON chairman urged operators to uphold professional standards, stressing that “the welfare of pilgrims must remain above commercial considerations.”
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to professional certification, digital transformation and effective regulatory oversight.
HIN Rector, Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, described professional training as essential to modern pilgrimage management, highlighting the need for expertise in corporate governance, risk management, operational coordination and international service standards.
Maiturare also highlighted HIN’s academic initiatives, including the MBA in Hajj Operations Management in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education.
The programme features sessions on professional ethics, integrated operations management, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, conflict resolution, pilgrim welfare and collaboration with Saudi service providers.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening operators’ preparedness for Hajj 2027 and supporting NAHCON’s efforts to build a professional, competitive and pilgrim-centred Hajj and Umrah industry in Nigeria.
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