The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, is reportedly embroiled in a new procurement scandal regarding contracts for licensed tour operators’ Masha’ir for the 2026 Hajj.
Investigations conducted by this newspaper—through thorough interviews and analysis of official documents—have revealed that the Hajj commission signed a multi-billion naira Masha’ir contract with a Saudi firm for Nigerian licensed tour operators’ pilgrims without adhering to procurement laws and other relevant regulations.
A statement issued and signed by the Technical Assistant (Media) to the NAHCON chairman, Ahmed Muazu, noted that the agreement was signed by NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, and the CEO of Rawaf Mina Company, Mr Zuhair Abdel Hamid Sadayo, on Saturday, 15 November 2025, in Makkah.
Breach Of Procurement Laws and Due Process
This newspaper exclusively discovered that the NAHCON leadership signed contracts for Mina, Arafat, and Musdalifa with Rawaf Mina Company without securing the mandatory ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).
The Public Procurement Act of 2007 mandates that public procuring entities obtain prior approval (No Objection) from the BPP before employing non-competitive procurement methods such as Restricted/Selective Tendering, Direct Procurement, and Emergency Procurement.
Furthermore, it has come to light that the Hajj commission did not refer the contract to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for legal vetting and approval prior to signing.
This situation also contradicts recent directives issued by Vice President Kashim Shettima in a letter dated 20 June 2025, reference number SH/OVP/DCOS, signed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Vice President’s Office), Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.
The letter, sent to NAHCON and other federal agencies under the VP’s office, referenced an earlier Federal Government circular stipulating that all contracts exceeding N100 million with foreign firms must be vetted and approved by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
With an estimated 15,000 private tour pilgrims this year, the contract value with Rawaf Mina could exceed N20 billion, calculated at 3,500 Saudi riyals per pilgrim, equating to N1,349,600 (3,500 x 385.6 x 15,000).
Division Among Tour Operators
The appointment of Rawaf Mina has caused a rift among members of the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON) and the Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON), primarily due to the company’s past performance. Recently, the leadership of AHUON rejected HUTON’s recommendation of Rawaf Mina. After extensive negotiations lasting over a month regarding the selection of their service provider, some factions of tour operators reportedly settled on Rawaf Mina over the weekend.
Pakistan’s Tendency For Imposition
Mr Pakistan’s inclination to impose service providers on states and tour operators is not a new phenomenon. On 14 June 2025, while in Saudi Arabia, the NAHCON chairman appointed a Saudi Arabian company, Ekram Deif, as the sole service provider for all Nigerian pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj, which was subsequently rejected by the Presidency following a petition from NAHCON Commissioner for Operations Anofi Elegushi.
Despite the backlash regarding Ekram Deif, Mr Pakistan later recommended Rawaf Mina in a letter, reference number NAHCON/AI/17/X/791, dated 11 September 2025, as the exclusive Masha’ir service provider for VIPs, tour operators, and state pilgrims. However, the vice president rejected this recommendation, asserting that the forum of state chief executives and other stakeholders should decide.
RAWAF MINA’S Record Of Inadequate Service
This newspaper recalls that Rawaf Mina was responsible for pilgrims during the 2024 Hajj operation, delivering subpar services that left pilgrims without tents, bedding, food, or water, resulting in widespread discontent among pilgrims and tour operators.
Even VIP pilgrims suffered from Rawaf Mina’s inadequate services during the 2025 Hajj. After losing the prestigious TENT A camp—only a five-minute walk to the Jamarat—the VIPs were relocated to Zone 2, which is approximately an hour’s walk to the Jamarat.
Moreover, the management of TENT A+ by Rawaf Mina was chaotic, leading to several Nigerian VIPs, including a sitting governor from a North-Central state, a first lady from a North-West state, and a former deputy governor, being barred from entering the camp.
Division Within NAHCON
Further investigation has indicated that NAHCON’s operations chief, Elegushi, was not involved in the Rawaf Mina contract controversy, which was marred by breaches of due process and existing regulations.
This newspaper has uncovered that the Hajj commission followed due process for the Masha’ir contracts signed with Mashariq Dhahabiah, including obtaining the BPP’s No Objection Certificate, legal vetting and approval from the Federal Ministry of Justice, and an approval decision during a virtual board meeting.
Insiders reported that the Rawaf Mina case is the opposite, as there was no board meeting, no BPP certification, no AGF vetting, and no approval from the vice president’s office, as mandated by law.
Staff Petition EFCC, BPP, VP
As a consequence of the tour operators’ agreement with Rawaf Mina, some concerned staff members of the Hajj commission have filed a serious petition with the EFCC, BPP, and even the Presidency, alleging “gross violations of procurement and other applicable laws” in Nigeria.
They expressed concern that civil servants often bear the brunt in such situations. “Public officials circumvent the laws, and in the end, we are the ones called upon by anti-graft agencies to provide documents. We decided to be proactive and inform the relevant agencies about what is happening before it is too late,” one official privy to the petitions confided to a reporter.
Nigeria’s Quota Reduced To 50,000 From 95,000
Another alarming development is the reduction of the 2026 Hajj quota for Nigerian pilgrims to 50,000 from the original 95,000—removing Nigeria from its position as the fifth largest Hajj nation for the first time.
Earlier, the figures had been cut to 66,000, as announced by NAHCON spokesperson Fatima Usara. There are no official explanations for the reduction, though stakeholders attribute it to the alleged poor and ineffective leadership of the Nigerian apex Hajj regulator.
Allegations of poor leadership, administrative highhandedness, and massive corruption have led to the arrest and investigation of NAHCON’s top management, including Mr Pakistan.
In what appears to be a clear break from the past and a vote of no confidence, the signing of the 2026 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Hajj commission and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah was not attended by ministers from both countries.
The event, held on Sunday, 9 November 2025, in the port city of Jeddah, was attended by NAHCON chairman Mr Pakistan on behalf of Nigeria and the Saudi Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Abdulfatah Mashat, representing the kingdom.
In contrast, during the tenure of Ahmad Jalal Arabi in 2024, the MoU was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, alongside the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Taufiq Al-Rabiah.
Following Mr Pakistan’s appointment in 2025, the situation shifted, resulting in Nigeria’s downgrade primarily due to his ineffective leadership. The MoU was signed solely by Mr Pakistan and the Saudi Deputy Minister, indicating a clear lack of confidence in the Hajj commission’s leadership by the Saudis.
For this year’s signing, the Nigerian foreign ministry sent a ministerial aide, while a low-level aide represented the vice president’s office.
To further emphasise Nigeria’s downgrade, the Saudi Hajj ministry published a gallery of photographs on Thursday, 20 November 2025, featuring 75 countries that signed the 2026 Hajj agreement—remarkably omitting Nigeria. The gallery showcased individual representatives of the 75 nations alongside the Saudi Hajj minister post-signing.
Hajj stakeholders lamented that the 2026 Hajj agreement signing signals a further decline for Nigeria in Saudi Arabia due to Mr Pakistan’s alleged ineffectiveness and lack of technical expertise in the sector.
“It is evident that the Saudis are distancing themselves from us due to the visible leadership deficiencies observed over the past year under Professor Pakistan. Previously, the Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister would sign the MoU, but since Mr Pakistan took office, they have resorted to sending a junior minister. This year, the junior minister was accompanied merely by an aide. It reflects poorly on Nigeria,” stated a Hajj commission official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Another NAHCON staff member disclosed that Mr Pakistan has yet to meet the Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister since his arrival over a year ago. “In the past, Saudi Hajj ministers were eager to engage with new NAHCON leaders, but that is no longer the case—all due to the detrimental influence stemming from Professor Pakistan’s lack of administrative skills, including very poor proficiency in English and the multitude of corruption allegations surrounding the commission under his leadership,” the senior staff member shared via telephone.
Nigeria’s Large Contingent Wastes Millions
Conversely, insiders indicate that Nigeria’s contingent to the kingdom for this event numbered almost 40. Credible sources reported that Mr Pakistan and other board members each received N23 million for the trip, while other staff members were allotted between N11 million and N13 million based on their rank. Most officials travelling to the kingdom lacked a specific agenda, fuelling allegations that the trip was a misuse of the country’s limited resources. Nigeria has sent the largest contingents among the 75 countries—despite the reduced figures. Reports suggest that countries with over 200,000 pilgrims brought no more than five officials each for the MoU signing, effectively utilising their personnel within their diplomatic missions in the kingdom.
“Individuals close to the chairman were merely selected for the trip. The selection was not merit-based; it was simply an opportunity to reward ‘yes-men’. It was a trip driven by allowances, to be frank,” stated one NAHCON official.
NAHCON Chairman Faces Jail Time Over Alleged Fraud
A lawyer experienced in Hajj operations informed our reporters confidentially that Professor Pakistan could face imprisonment for allegedly breaching procurement laws. “Under the Public Procurement Act of 2007, this type of fraud could result in a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years. It is a very serious matter,” the lawyer stated.
However, insider sources indicated that the NAHCON chairman appeared unshaken by these alleged violations. A commission staff member, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, remarked, “Professor Pakistan was overheard briefing some leaders of his religious sect in a luxurious hotel in Makkah Clock Towers, claiming he didn’t gain ‘anything’ from the Mashariq Dhahabiah contracts, transportation, and other agreements signed in Madinah. Thus, Rawaf Mina is his only chance to profit.”
The official added that the chairman was “boasting about ‘consulting tour operators’ prior to the Rawaf Mina agreement. It is unfortunate that the NAHCON chairman believes that consulting with tour operators is sufficient justification to bypass procurement laws and other relevant regulations, especially those concerning foreign procurement.”
What Stakeholders Are Saying
Stakeholders believe that a change in leadership at NAHCON is “the surest way for Nigeria to reclaim its lost prestige. It is regrettable to be treated this way as the fifth largest Hajj nation in the world. The no-confidence vote from the Saudis regarding the current NAHCON leadership is unmistakable. The sooner President Bola Tinubu dismisses Mr Pakistan, the better it will be for Nigeria and the Hajj operation.”
They also urged the EFCC to expedite its investigation into NAHCON officials to restore integrity to the industry. Immediate suspension of all those under anti-graft investigation was also advocated to prevent interference with documents in their possession.
No Comment From Mr Pakistan
Attempts to contact Professor Pakistan regarding this story were unsuccessful, as he could not be reached on his known mobile phone numbers.
