NAHCON joins others to participate in Saudi Arabia grand Hajj symposium

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on Wednesday, joined other Hajj missions and stakeholders to participate in the 50th Grand Hajj Symposium in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of ongoing preparations for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

The international symposium, organised by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in collaboration with the Council of Senior Scholars, brought together Hajj administrators, Islamic scholars, researchers and government officials from across the Muslim world to discuss contemporary issues and future developments in Hajj management and pilgrims’ services.

Speaking during the opening session of the event, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to improving services for pilgrims through innovation, digital transformation and the deployment of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

According to him, the Kingdom continued to modernise Hajj operations in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Guests of Allah Service Programme with a view to ensuring a safer, more efficient and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage for pilgrims from around the world.

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After the opening session, discussions later delved into several thematic areas, including pilgrims’ awareness and guidance; sustainability; transportation and crowd management; health regulations; operational efficiency and strategic planning for future Hajj exercises in line with global trends in technology, Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things.

The symposium celebrated five decades of scholarly and institutional contributions toward enhancing Hajj services and enriching pilgrims’ experiences globally.

The NAHCON delegation to the one-day event, led by the board member representing Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Professor Musa Inuwa Fodio, alongside the commission’s Deputy Coordinator, Makkah, Mallam Ibrahim Idris Mahmud, and other officials, represented Nigeria.

The commission’s participation at the symposium was geared towards adopting global best practices in organisation and provision of efficient services for Nigerian pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj operations.