By Fatima Sanda Usara

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has directed all Hajj Carriers for 2026 airlifts in collaboration with States Pilgrims Welfare Boards to issue flight tickets to pilgrims scheduled to travel for the 2026 Hajj. This was disclosed on 4th December 2026, at a NAHCON meeting with State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and 2026 Hajj air carriers held in the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The directive is aimed at ensuring that every pilgrim is fully aware of his or her exact departure schedule vis-a-vis date, time and place of departure. This is to drastically reduce incidents of incorrect pre- arrival data sent to Saudi Arabia which affects Nusuk card distribution and other logistics.

Beginning with the 2026 Hajj, missing a flight will attract grave consequences. This is because each pilgrim’s ticket will be digitally linked to their Nusuk Card, which will be pre-positioned in their assigned buses in Saudi Arabia. These buses will convey them to their hotels.

Hence, after visa issuance, a pilgrim cannot change groups again; pilgrims will thereafter maintain the group under which his or her visa was processed. And each group of 45 will travel together under a leader, be lodged together in same hotel in Makkah, Madinah and Masha’ir and return to Nigeria together after Hajj.

Additionally, NAHCON must upload pre arrival data on the Nusuk Masar platform 72 hours before departure of any aircraft conveying pilgrims. This data include group numbers, names of group members, accommodation details, building assigned, and bed-space number. Any pilgrim who fails to show up for the scheduled flight will be treated as a no-show and will bear the penalty, which may include paying for the un-utilized seat. Same goes for any defaulting party.

Similarly, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah this year introduced a boarding card to be issued to each pilgrim before departure. The card will contain in addition to the above information, other vital details such as names of airline, its capacity, name of state, name and number of pilgrims on board, departure airport, time and destination airport, arrival time and arrival airport.

NAHCON announced through Special Assistant (General Matters) to the NAHCON Chairman, Dr Danbaba Haruna that the Commission has concluded its camp booking and other services. However, if the booking is not commensurate with accommodation booking by , Saudi Arabia will return the excess amount back to NAHCON’S account by implication no that slot will be forfeited. He therefore urged State boards to expedite remittance of Hajj fare payments so as not to lose more slots.

NAHCON also reiterates that the Saudi Arabia’s new medical fitness requirement must be strictly enforced as there will be penalties. Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has vowed that any Pilgrim found to have any of the nine disqualifying medical conditions should not travel for Hajj and will bear the full cost of their deportation if they do so. Accordingly, State Pilgrims Welfare Boards have been directed to partner only with credible, certified hospitals for the issuance of medical fitness certificates against those diseases. The diseases are major organ failures- expressly heart, liver, kidney, and lungs; cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy or any biological treatment. Others are psychiatric or neurological disorders that impair cognition or accompanied by severe motor disability, senility accompanied by dementia, high risk pregnancies at any stage, and active infectious diseases.

In another development, Airline Allocation for 2026 Hajj has been communicated to each State Pilgrims’ Board with a recommendation to liaise with one another. However, the distribution is subject to change due to technical and infrastructural reviews. The Hajj carriers for 2026 Hajj are Air Peace, Fly Nas, Max Air and Umza Air.

The Chairman of NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman reiterated the need for cooperation between the state pilgrims boards, airlines and the Commission, stating that NAHCON’s success is every one’s success.