The commission said the additional allocation followed sustained engagements between the Nigerian Government and Saudi authorities.
Nigeria’s 2027 Hajj allocation has risen from 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims after Saudi Arabia approved an additional 10,000 slots for Nigerian pilgrims.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday by its Head of Information and Publications Division, Shafii Mohammed.
The commission said the additional allocation followed sustained engagements between the Nigerian Government and Saudi authorities.
NAHCON said 7500 of the new slots had been allocated to State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Agencies and Commissions, while the remaining 2,500 slots were assigned to seven lead Hajj tour operator companies.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, thanked the Nigerian government and Saudi authorities for approving the additional slots.
He said the commission would administer the allocation transparently and in accordance with Nigerian and Saudi Arabian regulations according to the Punch.
According to the commission, the additional allocation represents an expansion of Nigeria’s original 50,000-slot quota and brings the country’s total allocation for the 2027 pilgrimage to 60,000 pilgrims.
The commission said the increase followed high-level diplomatic engagements between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia aimed at securing additional opportunities for Nigerians wishing to perform the annual pilgrimage.
NAHCON had earlier announced that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah required all intending pilgrims to have their biometric data uploaded to the designated Nusuk-Masar platform by September 26.
The additional slots may require the commission to adjust parts of its operational timetable, particularly arrangements for registering the newly approved pilgrims and processing their biometric information.
The 2027 Hajj allocation increase comes as preparations for the pilgrimage continue, with NAHCON and state pilgrims’ welfare agencies expected to coordinate the registration and processing of pilgrims ahead of the exercise.
