The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU) to kick-start preparations for the 2026 Hajj.
The signing ceremony, held on Sunday in Jeddah, was witnessed by NAHCON Chairman Abdullahi Usman, a professor; Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Hajj, Abdulfatah Mashat; Ahmed Sule, representing Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Badr Al-Sulami, special adviser to the Saudi Vice Minister of Hajj.
According to Ahmed Mua’zu, media assistant to the NAHCON Chairman, while speaking to newsmen, the MoU defines the operational framework for Nigeria’s participation in the 2026 Hajj, outlining key agreements on pilgrim slot allocations, service contracts, camp bookings, visa procedures, and welfare standards.
He also said that both parties agreed on firm timelines for operational readiness, 4 January 2026, for camp booking payments and 1 February 2026, for uploading transport and accommodation details via the Nusuk/Masar digital platform.
He reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to pilgrim welfare, transparency, and adherence to Saudi guidelines, emphasising that “Nigerian pilgrims will benefit from better-organised logistics, enhanced digital processing, and timely coordination with service providers. PT
