Thousands of Nigerian Muslims face the risk of missing the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage after Saudi Arabia’s registration portal closed, leaving many unable to submit their details despite Nigeria securing additional pilgrimage slots.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) disclosed this in a statement on Friday, attributing the setback to the timing of the approval for extra Hajj quotas.
NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Information and Publications, Fatima Usara, explained that Saudi authorities initially reduced Nigeria’s Hajj quota from 95,000 to 50,000 pilgrims.
However, following diplomatic interventions, the kingdom later approved an increase in allocated slots — but the announcement came after the portal had closed for registration.
She said, “Following the initial reduction,
NAHCON convened meetings with state officials and adopted a first-come, first-served policy based on confirmed payments.
Many states made payments and secured camp bookings before the January 2 deadline. Only a few states, including Kaduna and Niger, received additional allocations later through internal adjustments.”
Usara warned that Saudi authorities would strictly enforce deadlines, noting that late registrants could be left out. She urged affected pilgrims to remain patient as NAHCON continues to work on resolving the situation.
“The commission appeals to pilgrims who made late payments to remain calm. Updates will be communicated as necessary,” she added.
NAHCON stressed that all affected pilgrims should await further instructions, as efforts continue to accommodate as many Nigerians as possible within the allocated slots.
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