By Olugbenga Salami
A faith-based Civil Society Organisation, CSO that reports and advocates workable policies in the Hajj and Umrah industry, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has appealed to the 36 state governors to provide loan facilities for their State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, SMPWBs to assist in making payments for the 2026 Hajj.
This, according to the IHR, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, would enable the states to meet up with the December registration deadline for next year’s holy pilgrimage by Nigerian intending pilgrims.
The group maintained that the “save 2026 Hajj appeal” becomes necessary in view of a shortage of time.
“The 2026 Hajj calendar mandates every country to conclude its 2026 Hajj registration by December, with strict directives that no extension will be granted whatsoever.
“This will make it very difficult for intending pilgrims from Nigeria to make full payments ahead of the deadline,” IHR stated.
It also pointed out that “the tight timeline will inhibit both the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON and the SMPWBs from making proper pre-Hajj arrangements unless funds are made available in the form of loans, which will be refunded when their pilgrims make payments.”
According to the statement, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has already approved an advancement of N3.4 billion to the state pilgrims board to enable it to make adequate arrangements for pilgrims from the state.
The governor made a similar advancement to the board for Hajj 2025, a gesture the group finds worthy of emulation.
IHR noted that the time-consuming Hajj registration model that allows states to register and later transfer funds to NAHCON before being transferred to Saudi Service providers does not fit into the current fast-paced pace first-come, first-served system adopted by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
“Nigeria, as the fifth largest Hajj contingent in the world and the biggest Hajj country in Africa, has been facing challenges of managing Hajj calendars effectively, resulting in pleading for extension in airlift, visa processing – an embarrassing situation that is avoidable.
“We, therefore, appeal to the state governors to rescue the 2026 Hajj preparation by heeding this request on behalf of Nigerian pilgrims,” the group stated.
