The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has fixed a provisional fee of N8.5 million for the 2026 Hajj as part of early arrangements for the pilgrimage.
The announcement was made on Thursday, August 7, during a post-Hajj meeting at the Hajj House in Abuja between NAHCON and the chairmen and secretaries of state pilgrims’ welfare boards.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, said the amount was agreed as a tentative deposit pending final negotiations on service contracts.
The Commission, in a statement signed by its Assistant Director of Information, Fatima Sanda Usara, also revealed that Nigeria had retained its 95,000 slots from Saudi Arabia for the 2026 exercise, with state allocations unchanged from 2025.
Prof. Usman thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support during the 2025 Hajj, including allowing payments to Hajj carriers in naira and directing the Central Bank to suspend its earlier policy requiring credit card-only payments for Basic Travel Allowance.
He urged participants to give honest reviews of the 2025 exercise to help improve future operations.
Commissioner for Planning, Research and Statistics, Prof. Abubakar Abubakar Yagawal, led discussions on the 2026 Hajj calendar, while Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, spoke on logistics and suggested rolling over contracts with the four airlines from 2025 to secure airlift slots early.
Chairman of the Forum of States Executive Secretaries, Alhaji Idris Almakura, pledged the forum’s support and called for better communication with state boards. Deputy Chairman Alhaji Aliyu Faruku Yaro and Secretary Malam Abubakar Salihu were also in attendance.
NAHCON Secretary, Dr Mustapha Ali, described the meeting as productive and said it marked the start of preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage.
