2028 Hajj: Saudi Arabia to Review Nigeria’s Quota After 2027 Performance — NAHCON
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
Saudi Arabia is expected to review Nigeria’s Hajj quota for 2028 based on the country’s performance in utilising its 50,000 allocations for the 2027 pilgrimage, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said.
NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, disclosed this during a media interaction in Abuja on Nigeria’s response to Saudi Arabia’s sweeping structural reforms of Hajj and Umrah administration.
Yusuf explained that Nigeria’s request for additional slots for the 2027 Hajj had been rejected by Saudi authorities, leaving the country with a total allocation of 50,000 pilgrims.
The allocation comprises 35,000 slots for government pilgrims and 15,000 for licensed private Hajj tour operators. NAHCON had sought an upward review of the allocation in response to increased demand from intending pilgrims and appeals from several state pilgrims’ welfare boards.
The Commission said Saudi Arabia declined the request because of capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and its strict enforcement of approved country quotas.
2028 Hajj: Saudi Arabia to Review Nigeria’s Quota After 2027 Performance — NAHCON
However, the rejection does not necessarily close the door to a higher allocation in subsequent years, with Nigeria’s effective utilisation of the 2027 quota emerging as an important consideration for future review.
The development places additional pressure on NAHCON, state pilgrims’ welfare boards and private operators to ensure that allocated slots are fully utilised and that all pilgrims meet Saudi Arabia’s increasingly strict operational requirements.
NAHCON has also warned stakeholders to comply with the September 26 deadline for uploading prospective pilgrims’ data on the Saudi Nusuk platform, stressing that no extension would be granted.
The Commission has urged states and operators to complete registration and documentation processes within the prescribed timelines as Nigeria adjusts to Saudi Arabia’s increasingly digitalised and regulated Hajj framework.
For prospective pilgrims unable to secure places for 2027, NAHCON has opened registration for the 2028 Hajj, encouraging them to begin preparations early.
