The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says it has officially concluded the return airlift of over 38,000 Nigerian pilgrims from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

A statement by NAHCON’s spokesperson, Fatimah Usara, said that the final flight conveying pilgrims from Zamfara State was expected to arrive in Nigeria on Tuesday.

Ms Usara said that the completion of the return leg brought to a close the 2026 hajj operations.

She said that it marked the end of a major national exercise that involved the successful airlifting of Nigerian pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia.

She, however, said that 12 Nigerian pilgrims were currently receiving treatment in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia for various health conditions.

“NAHCON is closely monitoring their situations and has made arrangements to facilitate their safe return to Nigeria as soon as they are discharged from the hospitals.

“NAHCON also appreciates the cooperation and hard work of state pilgrims’ welfare boards, licensed tour operators, service providers, aviation partners, medical teams, security personnel, the media and, most importantly, Nigerian pilgrims.

“The commission acknowledges that, as with every major operation of this scale, there were challenges encountered in the course of the exercise,” she said.

Ms Usara said that valuable lessons had been learnt from the exercise, which would be applied toward improving subsequent hajj operations.

She said that in line with the commission’s commitment to continuous improvement and early planning, it formally commenced preparations for the 2027 hajj.

“This was conveyed to all Hajj managers in Nigeria through a circular dated June 15. Consequently, state pilgrims’ welfare boards/agencies/commissions and licensed private tour operators are directed to commence preparatory activities immediately.

“This should be done in strict compliance with the official preparation document for the 2027 Hajj season as received from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” she said.

Meanwhile, the NAHCON chairman, Ismail Yusuf, expressed gratitude to Allah for the overall success of the 2026 hajj. 

Mr Yusuf expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima for the support they rendered towards the success of the operation

(NAN)