2018 Hajj: 95,000 slots for Nigeria

A total of 95,000 slots have been approved for Nigeria to the 2018 Hajj; even as Saudi Arabia has introduced biometric data capture for all intending pilgrims.

Against this background, President Muhammadu Buhari has restated government’s commitment to the welfare, health and security needs of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The figure was given when the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, and the chairman/chief executive officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON), Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, briefed the president on the 2018 Hajj MoU meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

Of the figure, 75,000 slots would go to state Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Agencies, while  20,000 slots are for private tour operators.

The President was also briefed about some of the new policies introduced by Saudi Arabian government, which included payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) by all consumers of goods and services in Saudi Arabia, beginning 1st January, 2018; fixing of May 2018 as the deadline for the conclusion of all Hajj arrangements and the introduction of biometric data capture for  intending pilgrims.

In a statement issued on Saturday, and signed by the Chief Information Officer, NAHCON, Adamu Hassan Abdullahi,

President Buhari expressed concern over the challenges currently being faced by intending Umrah pilgrims.

According to the statement, the President observed that Nigeria was not against the introduction of biometrics capture by Saudi Arabia government but rather, the hardship caused by the non-preparedness of the company appointed to implement the policy in Nigeria.

He assured Nigerian pilgrims of his commitment to addressing the problem, along with its attendant consequences on Hajj and Umrah operations in the country.