The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards have agreed to commence the inaugural airlift for the 2025 Hajj on May 9.
The decision was arrived at following a high-level preparatory meeting held on April 22 in Abuja.
The meeting, which brought together Executive Secretaries of State Pilgrims’ Boards under the Forum of States, was convened to assess the level of readiness across the country for the upcoming pilgrimage.
In his opening remarks, NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, emphasized that the Hajj industry is now in its final phase of preparation.
He urged states to provide updates on key areas such as visa processing, vaccination, and procurement of travel materials.
During the session, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, disclosed the allocation of pilgrims to the various approved carrier.
The total number of pilgrims scheduled for the 2025 Hajj is 43,000 based on current distribution.
Professor Abubakar Yagawal, Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information & Library Services, also briefed the meeting on NAHCON’s progress in preparing clinics in Makkah and Madinah and distributing Yellow Cards to states.
He reiterated the policy barring pregnant women from participating in the pilgrimage.
The meeting concluded with the finalization of the inaugural flight date as May 9, with all outbound flights to be completed by May 24. Inbound return flights are tentatively set to begin on June 13 and conclude by July 2.