The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria says it has successfully concluded the 2026 outbound airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ahead of the deadline set for inbound Hajj flights into the holy land.
The commission disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the final outbound flight departed at 10:44 a.m. on May 21.
According to the commission, the last flight was operated by Max Air and conveyed pilgrims from Zamfara State through the Gusau International Airport.
NAHCON said the outbound airlift operation commenced on May 3 and was concluded within 18 days with a total of 98 flights operated, averaging about five flights daily.
The commission stated that Nigeria was allocated 50,000 pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj exercise, including 9,750 slots reserved for licensed tour operators, operational support personnel and statutory officials.
It added that about 39,000 pilgrims under the government quota, excluding officials and government representatives, were successfully transported to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage.
According to the commission, some intending pilgrims could not travel due to unavoidable circumstances, including deaths and ill health after the issuance of visas.
NAHCON expressed gratitude to Allah for what it described as the orderly and peaceful coordination among stakeholders throughout the airlift exercise.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Ismail Abba Yusuf, commended the resilience and cooperation demonstrated by NAHCON board members, staff, pilgrims, State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, licensed tour operators, official air carriers, security agencies and operational committees.
The commission also appreciated the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the supervision of Vice President Kashim Shettima in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Nigerian pilgrims despite prevailing global socio-political challenges.
NAHCON urged pilgrims already in the holy land to remain law-abiding and conduct themselves responsibly throughout the Hajj period.
It described Hajj as a unique spiritual exercise that requires patience, sacrifice, discipline and steadfastness.
The commission advised pilgrims to comply with the laws and regulations guiding Hajj operations in Saudi Arabia in order to avoid sanctions or unnecessary difficulties.
It further urged them to continue cooperating with officials and relevant authorities, assuring that arrangements for Masha’ir operations had been concluded and would be closely monitored to ensure pilgrims’ welfare and comfort.
Meanwhile, the commission said preparations had reached an advanced stage for the return airlift operations scheduled to begin on June 3.
It added that details of return flight schedules would be communicated in due course.
NAHCON also assured that preparations for the 2027 Hajj exercise would commence immediately after the conclusion of the current pilgrimage season as part of efforts to improve service delivery and consolidate on recorded successes.
The commission prayed for the acceptance of the pilgrims’ Hajj and their safe return to Nigeria.
