Yemi Obafemi
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced a reviewed Hajj fare for the 2026 pilgrimage following extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and after receiving necessary approvals from the appropriate authorities.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, on behalf of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON.
According to the statement, the reviewed fares are as follows: Maiduguri/Yola Zone, ₦7,579,020.96 (previously ₦8,118,033.67); Northern Zone, ₦7,696,769.76 (previously ₦8,244,813.67); and Southern Zone, ₦7,991,141.76 (previously ₦8,561,013.67).
The revised fares were computed based on an exchange rate of ₦1,443 per US dollar.
As a result, intending pilgrims from the Maiduguri/Yola, Northern, and Southern zones will enjoy reductions of ₦539,013, ₦548,043.91, and ₦569,871.91 respectively.
NAHCON advised intending pilgrims to complete payment of their Hajj fares on or before December 5, 2025, to ensure timely remittance to the Commission’s IBAN account before the Saudi Arabian deadline.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set December 21, 2025, as the final date for transferring all funds for basic service contracts, noting that the date will not be extended.
Since transfers into IBAN accounts take between 10 days and two weeks to clear, NAHCON stressed the importance of meeting the December 5 deadline.
At a meeting held on November 10, 2025, the Commission announced that previous slot allocations to states no longer stand.
It stated that henceforth, states that remit their Hajj fares earlier will secure slots for their registered pilgrims based on a first-come, first-served arrangement.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Forum of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Alhaji Idris Almakura, urged members to complete their assignments in Saudi Arabia promptly and return to Nigeria to mobilize for Hajj registration, considering the limited time available to fill Nigeria’s quota for the 2026 pilgrimage.
