2027 Hajj: Early Preparation Helps Gombe Avoid Loan, Exhaust 987 Seats
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
Early preparation for the 2027 Hajj has enabled the Gombe State Pilgrims Welfare Board to exhaust its initial allocation of 987 seats without relying on a government loan, the Board has said.
The development marks a departure from the 2026 Hajj, when the Gombe State Government intervened with a loan to enable the Board to meet advance payment requirements after intending pilgrims were caught unprepared by the payment deadline.
The Executive Secretary of the Board disclosed this on Monday while speaking during a sensitisation visit by a delegation of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by the Commissioner in charge of the North-East Zone, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Uthman.
He said the Board began preparations for the 2027 pilgrimage immediately after returning from Saudi Arabia last year, allowing intending pilgrims sufficient time to make their deposits and complete registration.
According to him, the early mobilisation enabled the state to raise the required funds from pilgrims without seeking financial assistance from the government.
“No loan, no loan,” he said, explaining that the government’s intervention in 2026 became necessary because pilgrims were taken unaware when NAHCON announced the payment requirements.
2027 Hajj: Early Preparation Helps Gombe Avoid Loan, Exhaust 987 Seats
He said the government had then stepped in to facilitate the advance payment while waiting for pilgrims to reimburse the funds.
“But now, we have started very early,” he said, adding that the state had no difficulty mobilising the required funds for the 2027 Hajj.
The official also disclosed that Gombe had gone beyond its initial allocation, saying the state had already paid for 1,417 pilgrims against its allocated 987 seats.
He said the development had prompted the Board to request additional seats from NAHCON to accommodate intending pilgrims who had registered and paid.
He expressed confidence that the Commission would approve additional slots, citing assurances from the NAHCON leadership that states demonstrating early preparedness would receive support.
Speaking separately, the NAHCON North-East Commissioner commended Gombe for its preparedness, noting that the state had paid for its pilgrims and even exceeded its initial allocation.
He assured the state that its request for additional seats would be considered.
The sensitisation visit was part of NAHCON’s engagement with states on new Saudi Arabian Hajj policies and preparations for the 2027 pilgrimage.
