2025 Hajj: Group seeks expeditious screening, confirmation of new NAHCON boss

The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a civil society organization, has appealed to the Senate to convene an emergency meeting at the committee level to screen and clear the newly appointed Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, to ensure the timely implementation of the 2025 Hajj calendar.

IHR National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, made this appeal during his welcome speech at the organization’s 2024 Hajj lecture and awards event in Abuja on Wednesday.

He emphasized that there are only 134 days remaining until the commencement of the processing and issuance of Hajj visas for next year’s pilgrimage, with the first group of pilgrims expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia on April 25, 2025.

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“According to the Saudi Arabian 2025 Hajj calendar, we have 134 days from today until the commencement of Hajj visa processing and issuance,” Mohammed stated.

“The first set of 2025 Hajj pilgrims will arrive in Saudi Arabia on April 29, 2025, which is approximately 237 days from today. The Day of Arafat is projected to be on June 5, which is 273 days from today.”

He further noted the urgency of finalizing contracts with Saudi-based service providers, which is scheduled to begin on October 23, 2024, less than 30 days from now.

Mohammed expressed concern that Nigeria has yet to begin the registration of intending pilgrims, whereas other Hajj-participating countries have made significant progress in their registration processes.

“It is worrisome that Nigeria is yet to begin pilgrims’ registration even when other Hajj-participating countries, which operate on three to five-year rolling plans, have already advanced in their registration of intending pilgrims,” he said.

Given the situation, IHR urged the Senate to convene an emergency meeting at the committee level to screen and clear the newly appointed NAHCON Chairman.

Mohammed stressed that this would prevent further delays and allow for the timely implementation of the 2025 Hajj calendar.

Despite the challenges faced during the 2024 Hajj, Mohammed noted that about 58,000 Nigerian Muslims were successfully airlifted to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage, maintaining Nigeria’s status as the largest African contingent and the fifth largest Hajj contingent in the world.

However, he lamented the negative media coverage of the Hajj industry, which he attributed to a “breach of trust by those responsible for shepherding our pilgrims.”

“While we acknowledge the fraudulent activities of some Hajj administrators, the misinformation and outright disparagement of NAHCON by certain interested groups within the Hajj and Umrah system is concerning,” he said.

“We should identify the lapses and hold individual administrators accountable rather than condemning NAHCON as an institution.”

Mohammed concluded by calling for a review of the Hajj administration structure across Nigeria’s federating units through legal and policy reforms.

He advocated for creating opportunities for honest, competent, and experienced individuals to oversee Hajj and Umrah affairs in Nigeria.