Kano Pilgrims Left Searching as 2027 Hajj Allocation Fills Up
By Abdulwahid Musa Muhammad And Abdulrazaq Auwal,
For Usman Abdullah, a Gombe indigene residing in Kano State, making a partial payment was not enough to secure a seat before the registration process closed.
Usman told Hajj Gazette that although he had commenced payment for the pilgrimage, the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board could not upload his details after the registration portal closed, leaving his participation in the 2027 Hajj uncertain.
He expressed disappointment and regretted not completing his payment earlier, but said he remained hopeful that an opportunity would emerge for his registration to be completed.
His experience reflects the pressure facing thousands of intending pilgrims across Kano and other states who have been unable to secure places under the states limited allocation for the 2027 Hajj.
Findings by Hajj Gazette indicate that Kano’s allocation of 3,057 seats has been exhausted, while thousands of intending pilgrims from across the state’s 44 local government areas are still seeking opportunities to join the pilgrimage.
The situation follows Nigeria’s limited 2027 Hajj quota of 50,000 pilgrims, comprising 35,000 slots for government-sponsored pilgrims and 15,000 allocated to licensed private Hajj operators.
Kano Pilgrims Left Searching as 2027 Hajj Allocation Fills Up
Saudi Arabia recently rejected Nigeria’s request for additional slots, citing capacity and operational constraints.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had also fixed September 26, 2026, as the final deadline for uploading intending pilgrims’ biometric data through the Saudi-approved Nusuk-Masar platform, with no extension announced.
For pilgrims such as Usman, the closure has therefore transformed the race for the 2027 Hajj into a search for any remaining opportunity within the approved national allocation.
NAHCON has advised intending pilgrims who could not secure slots for the 2027 pilgrimage to consider registering for the 2028 Hajj, whose registration has already commenced.
The Kano situation highlights the widening gap between demand for Hajj slots and the number of places available to states, leaving thousands of prospective pilgrims across the state facing uncertainty despite their desire and, in some cases, efforts to make payments.
