The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) disclosed that it has successfully secured payments for 26,287 pilgrims’ spaces in Mashair and has reserved an additional 26,000 spaces, which are expected to be fully secured by the end of business on February 13, 2025, pending the receipt of awaited remittances.
Fatima Sanda Usara, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, stated in a press release on Wednesday that the 26,287 secured spaces include the deposits received from pilgrims so far.
It is anticipated that 52,000 intending pilgrims from Nigeria will participate in the 2025 Hajj.
The statement read, “This proactive move to reserve space in Mashair, led by NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, ensures compliance with the 14th February deadline laid by Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MOHU) for finalizing contract agreements by Hajj participating countries before the closure of the Nusuk Masar contracts’ portal.”
“As part of this effort, Professor Usman had signed an agreement on Friday, 17th January 2025, at NAHCON’s Ummul Judd office in Makkah. The signing followed wide consultations with key stakeholders, particularly the Forum of State Chairmen, board members and representative of the presidency who were part of the delegation. It would be recalled that Professor Usman acknowledged the collaborative role of Malam Idris Almakura, Alhaji Faruku Yaro Aliyu, Malam Abubakar Salihu from the States Forum and Malam Ameen Amshi, representative of the Presidency in the screening and selection process.
“Hence, after the successful engagement of the service provider early in the year, and to prevent any last-minute setbacks, the NAHCON Chairman Professor Usman sought and received approval from Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima to travel to Makkah and finalize this critical contract—an essential requirement for uploading visas scheduled to commence on the 19th of February.
“Professor Usman expressed profound appreciation to the Vice President for his support, confidence, and non-interference in the Commission’s operations, which have enabled swift and decisive action in preparing the grounds for a smooth Hajj process for 2025 Nigerian pilgrims.
The NAHCON Chairman stated that the Vice President’s prompt response to requests for assistance in traveling to Saudi Arabia to address any issues has been effective, and the reservation concerns have now been resolved.
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