NAHCON announces N8.5m as tentative fare for 2026 hajj

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced N8.5 million as the tentative fare for the 2026 hajj.

In a statement on Thursday, Fatima Usara, NAHCON’s assistant director of information and publication, said the decision was taken during a post-hajj review meeting with chairmen and secretaries of state pilgrims’ welfare boards at the Hajj House in Abuja.

Usara said Abdullahi Usman, NAHCON chairman, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his consistent support to pilgrims and the commission.

She said the NAHCON chairman acknowledged the federal government’s intervention, which allowed hajj carriers to accept payments in naira, shielding pilgrims from the volatility of foreign exchange rates.

“The NAHCON chairman, after deliberations, announced a tentative deposit of N8.5 million as the provisional fare for the 2026 Hajj as agreed collectively, pending final negotiations on all service contracts,” the statement reads.

“Usman also announced that Nigeria has retained its 95,000-slot allocation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Similarly, allocation of slots to state welfare boards remains as it was last year.”

Usman also commended the federal government for directing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend its earlier policy mandating credit card-only payments for basic travel allowance (BTA), noting that the measure would have placed many pilgrims at a disadvantage.

He asked stakeholders to offer honest and constructive feedback on the 2025 hajj to identify gaps and improve future operations.

Abubakar Yagawal, the commissioner in charge of planning, research and statistics, led discussions on the 2026 Hajj calendar.

Anofiu Elegushi, commissioner of operations, opened discussions on the possible rollover of contracts for the four airlines that operated during the 2025 hajj.

Elegushi added that the proposal was aimed at overcoming time constraints and bureaucratic processes tied to the Saudi calendar and at securing early airlift slots.