The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the cancellation of slot allocations for the 2026 Hajj exercise, introducing a new first-come, first-served policy for states.
The Commission also announced a significant reduction in Hajj fares across all geopolitical zones, citing favourable exchange rate adjustments and extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Fatima Sanda Usara, on behalf of the Chairman/CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, NAHCON said the new arrangement replaces the traditional allocation system, ensuring that “states that remit their Hajj fares earlier will secure slots for their registered pilgrims on a first-come, first-served basis.”
Under the revised fare structure, intending pilgrims from the Maiduguri/Yola Zone will now pay ₦7,579,020.96, down from ₦8,118,033.67, reflecting a reduction of ₦539,013.
Pilgrims from other parts of the Northern Zone will pay ₦7,696,769.76, compared to ₦8,244,813.67 in 2025, a reduction of ₦548,043.91.
Those from the Southern Zone will pay ₦7,991,141.76, down from ₦8,561,013.67, representing a cut of ₦569,871.91.
The statement noted that the revised fares were computed at an exchange rate of ₦1,443 per US dollar, adding that the Commission’s decision followed approval from the appropriate authorities.
NAHCON advised intending pilgrims to complete payment of their Hajj fares on or before December 5, 2025, to enable timely remittance to Saudi Arabia before the final deadline.
“The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set December 21, 2025, as the deadline for transferring all funds for the basic services contract and has vowed not to extend the date,” the statement added.
According to the Commission, the December 5 deadline would allow time for all transfers into NAHCON’s IBAN account to clear, given that such transactions take between 10 days and two weeks to process.
During a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, the Chairman of the Forum of States, Alhaji Idris Al-Makura, appealed to state officials to hasten their assignments in Saudi Arabia and return to Nigeria to mobilize early for pilgrim registration in line with the strict Saudi timeline.
The new measures are part of ongoing reforms by NAHCON to ensure transparency, efficiency, and timely coordination of Nigeria’s Hajj operations ahead of the 2026 pilgrimage.
