The chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Usman, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to early preparations for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

Mr Usman made this known in a statement by his technical assistant on media, Ahmad Muazu, on Sunday in Abuja.

He also expressed NAHCON’s commitment to effective coordination, and strict adherence to established procedures for the Hajj exercise.

He said that NAHCON remained fully aligned with the policy direction of the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, Mr Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda prioritises the welfare and spiritual well-being of Nigerian pilgrims.

” NAHCON, operating under the supervision of the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, emphasises the timely completion of all critical Hajj preparatory activities,” he said.

He said that priority was being accorded to the early conclusion of state pilgrims’ accommodation arrangements in Makkah, in compliance with Saudi regulatory timelines.

Meanwhile, in alignment with strategic organisational priorities, the NAHCON boss authorised the immediate deployment of a high level executive delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He said that the delegation, led by him, would provide executive oversight, finalise and take over all pending accommodation arrangements in Makkah, adding that it would ensure full compliance with Saudi regulatory timelines and mitigate potential operational delays.

He listed members of the delegation to include, Abubakar Yagawal, commissioner, Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS), and Sheikh Muhammad Bin Uthman, board member, North-West zone.

Others are Tajudeen Oladejo, board member, South-West zone, Hajiya Aishat Ahmed, board member, South-East zone, and Mustapha Ali, Secretary of the commission.

“The delegation is mandated to conclude all accommodation arrangements and submit a comprehensive report to the commission immediately upon completion of the assignment,” he said.

Mr Usman, however, said that he would remain in Nigeria to receive the minister of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, while coordinating the delegations activities.

He said that the top Saudi Hajj official was expected to visit Nigeria later in February.

According to Mr Usman, NAHCON has activated appropriate internal governance, coordination, and oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability, procedural compliance, and effective execution of all preparatory activities.

“This includes sustained engagement with board members, senior management, service providers and relevant Saudi authorities to ensure adherence to approved timelines and applicable Saudi regulations,” he said

He said that all actions undertaken by the commission derived from its statutory mandate as the regulatory body for Hajj in Nigeria.

“Decisions of the commission are institutional, guided by due process, collective decisions, and the obligation to safeguard the interests of Nigerian pilgrims while preserving Nigeria’s long-standing bilateral relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The NAHCON boss assured stakeholders and intending pilgrims that the commission remained focused on delivering exceptional and hitch free 2026 Hajj.

He said that this would be done by strengthening its systems, improving planning, discipline and enhancing professionalism across all aspects of Hajj management, in line with international best practices.

(NAN)