Over 25,000 Nigerians risk missing 2026 Hajj, details emerge

More than 25,000 intending Nigerian pilgrims may be unable to perform the 2026 Hajj following Saudi Arabia’s decision to slash the country’s approved camp slots to 66,910, a large drop from the 95,000 originally allocated.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) disclosed this in a statement titled “NAHCON, States Discuss Hajj Costing and Other Critical Issues; Ministry Briefs NAHCON on Tour Operators”, signed by its Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Usara.

According to the Commission, while Nigeria received a total allocation of 95,000 slots for next year’s pilgrimage, only 66,910 spaces have been confirmed on Saudi Arabia’s NUSUK Masar portal. This, NAHCON said, has dire implications for state pilgrims’ boards and licensed tour operators, who will now have to make tough choices on allocation.

A breakdown of the figure shows that 51,513 slots have been reserved for states and government officials, while 15,397 are designated for licensed private tour operators. This leaves a shortfall of 28,090 from the total allocation, meaning more than 25,000 Nigerians may be cut off from participating in the holy exercise.

NAHCON explained that the reduction came as a penalty imposed by Saudi authorities due to Nigeria’s underutilisation of the slots allocated for the 2025 Hajj. Records show that while 95,000 spaces were approved for that exercise, only about 59,128 pilgrims eventually made the trip, 41,218 under the government quota and 18,000 through private operators, leaving 35,872 slots unused.

The Commission warned that the new cap would significantly affect planning, as states and tour operators must now review their numbers and adjust to the reduced capacity. It added that discussions are ongoing with state pilgrim boards and the Ministry of Hajj Affairs to resolve the shortfall and ensure a smoother exercise next year.