Nigeria meets Saudi timeline for 2026 Hajj housing
NAHCON says accommodation secured following vice presidential directive
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission has concluded accommodation arrangements for the 2026 Hajj in the Saudi cities of Makkah and Madinah, meeting deadlines set by Saudi authorities, officials said on Monday.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, said the accommodation uploads and approvals had been completed and accepted by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah ahead of the stipulated timelines.
He said the development followed a directive from Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, instructing that all critical preparations for the 2026 Hajj be completed within Saudi-approved schedules to protect Nigeria’s operational interests.
“The conclusion of these arrangements ensures that Nigeria is fully compliant with Saudi timelines and positioned among countries that have successfully completed this key requirement,” Usman said in a statement.
He acknowledged the support and guidance of the vice president throughout the process and credited the outcome to the efforts of multiple stakeholders, including a high-level Nigerian delegation to Saudi Arabia, members of the NAHCON board, the Nusuk Masar team, officials of state pilgrims’ welfare boards and commission staff.
Saudi authorities require participating countries to secure and upload pilgrims’ accommodation details within specific deadlines as part of broader reforms aimed at improving Hajj planning, safety and coordination.
With the accommodation arrangements completed, NAHCON said it would now move to the next phase of preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage, including other operational and logistical requirements.
Nigeria is one of the countries with the largest annual pilgrim contingents to Saudi Arabia, sending tens of thousands of pilgrims each year for the Islamic pilgrimage.
The statement was signed by Ahmad Muazu, technical assistant for media to the NAHCON chairman.
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