By Olugbenga Salami
A faith-based civil society organisation, the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has established a special media team to monitor the 2026 Hajj operations in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The team comprises credentialed journalists from print, online, and broadcast platforms, all with extensive experience in the Hajj and Umrah industry.
In a statement signed by IHR National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, the organisation confirmed that the team has been deployed to departure points and Hajj camps to oversee the conduct of pilgrims and officials. Their activities, including video and photographic documentation, will inform the 2026 Hajj Report to be submitted to the Chairman and CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, after the exercise.
The committee is chaired by Nasiru Lawal, former Editor of Daily Trust and current Editor‑in‑Chief of Dateline Nigeria. Soliu Oyesiji will serve as secretary.
Other members include Nuruddeen M. Abdallah (National Secretary of IHR and former Investigative Editor of Daily Trust); Sani Tukur (Director of Media Publications, IHR); Jidda Abubakar Usman (veteran Hajj and broadcast journalist); Suleiman Tola (retired Managing Editor of the News Agency of Nigeria); and Mustapha Hodi (publisher of Bizpoint and an IHR executive member). Hajiya Medina Dauda, a veteran media professional, and Maryam Najeem (Administrative Secretary of IHR) complete the roster.
Mr Muhammad explained that the committee’s mandate is to complement NAHCON’s regulatory role by providing policy direction and independent oversight of the Hajj and Umrah industry. The final report, he added, will assist the commission in shaping regulatory frameworks for the Hajj ecosystem.
The initiative, he said, will support data gathering on operational conduct, feed into the post-Hajj review process, and guide recommendations aimed at improving service delivery.
Founded in 2013 to monitor and report on Hajj and Umrah activities, IHR has now activated its monitoring arm to further enhance standards across the sector.
