Why Gombe Did Not Seek Extra 2026 Hajj Slots Despite Rising Demand — Board
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
The Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has explained its decision not to request additional Hajj slots for the 2026 pilgrimage season despite growing demand, citing accommodation limitations, financial prudence, and risk management considerations.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Sa’adu Hassan, said the state had already exhausted its allocated quota, which was deliberately pegged to confirmed accommodation capacity secured in Saudi Arabia.
According to him, the Board opted to maintain the same accommodation strength used in the previous Hajj exercise to avoid operational and financial exposure.
“Last year, Gombe State had accommodation for 960 pilgrims. Given the uncertainty in registrations and payments at the early stage, we insisted on maintaining that same capacity for 2026. It was a deliberate decision to avoid financial exposure and contractual liabilities,” Hassan said.
He noted that requesting additional slots would automatically require sourcing extra accommodation and entering into new contractual obligations, a move the Board considered imprudent under the current circumstances.
“We have exhausted the number of seats allocated to Gombe State, and these are seats for which we already have confirmed accommodation,” the Executive Secretary told Hajj Gazette.
“We do not intend to request additional seats because that would require us to demand more rooms and accommodation. We are only going to work with what we already have,” he further state.
Hassan explained that the Board had communicated its capacity limits early and structured the registration process on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure transparency, predictability, and orderly planning.
He further disclosed that some intending pilgrims who made part payments but could not secure slots under the state quota have since withdrawn their funds and opted to register through other states or private tour operators.
“Intending pilgrims who paid half and could not be accommodated have collected their money and are now registering in other states or with private tour operators,” he said.
He emphasized that the Board’s stance reflects a strategic choice to prioritize sustainability, pilgrim welfare, and efficient service delivery over numerical expansion, warning that overstretching capacity could undermine the overall success of the Hajj operation.
He reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to operating strictly within its confirmed resources while ensuring a smooth, well-coordinated, and financially responsible Hajj exercise for Gombe State pilgrims in 2026.
