Lagos State vows to meet December 5 deadline as NAHCON visits to discuss remittance

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

The Lagos State Government has assured the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that it will meet the December 5 deadline for remitting fares for next year’s Hajj exercise.

The assurance was given by Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, during a visit by NAHCON officials led by the National Commissioner South West, Dr. Tajudeen Oladejo Abefe.

Layode stated that the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board is intensifying efforts to attract more participants to surpass the 1,500 slots allocated to Lagos by NAHCON. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to reduce the Hajj fare has encouraged more intending pilgrims to register for the exercise.

Addressing the issue of the 93 pilgrims who were denied visas during the 2025 Hajj, Layode explained that their payments have not been refunded. He said the state had written to NAHCON to retain those slots for the 2026 exercise and requested their support in this regard.

Layode assured that with the backing of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Kadri Hamzat, the state would make all necessary remittances before the deadline to ensure a smooth Hajj experience for its pilgrims.

Earlier, Dr. Abefe said the NAHCON team visited Lagos to discuss the remittance deadline and ensure proper coordination for the upcoming Hajj exercise.

Source: The Nation