More than 23,000 Nigerian pilgrims taking part in this year's Hajj have arrived in the holy city of Makkah, as Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has called on religious committees to sight the crescent moon marking the start of Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar during which the pilgrimage is performed.
The moon sighting will determine the official start of Hajj rites, which are expected to begin on May 25, while astronomers project that Eid Al Adha may fall on May 27.
At the close of Day 14 of the outbound airlift operation on Saturday, May 16, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) reported that it had airlifted 31,844 Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 78 flights. According to the commission, 23,425 pilgrims have already been moved to Makkah, while the remaining 8,419 are currently in Madinah.
Statistics released by NAHCON's Command and Control Centre in Abuja showed that 69 flights carrying 27,568 pilgrims were airlifted directly to Madinah from various departure centres across Nigeria, while nine flights conveying 4,276 pilgrims landed in Jeddah before the pilgrims were transported to Madinah. The commission explained that all Nigerian pilgrims first visit Madinah before proceeding to Makkah for the Hajj proper.
The airlift update, released as of 9:45 p.m. Nigerian time on Saturday, indicated that 19,620 male pilgrims and 12,224 female pilgrims have so far been transported to Saudi Arabia. The statistics further showed that Ekiti and Kogi states have completed 100 percent airlift of their pilgrims, while Gombe, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto and Taraba states have achieved 99 percent airlift.
Other states recorded between 23 and 98 percent completion, while Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states, as well as the Armed Forces, have yet to commence airlift operations for their pilgrims. NAHCON disclosed that 17 flights remain to complete the transportation of the 40,250 pilgrims registered under the state quota and the Armed Forces for the 2026 Hajj exercise.
Saudi authorities had allocated 50,000 Hajj slots to Nigeria for the exercise, with the quota shared among states, the Armed Forces and private tour operators. Meanwhile, NAHCON assured that all registered Nigerian pilgrims would be airlifted before the closure of Saudi airspace on May 21, ahead of the pilgrimage.
The Saudi Supreme Court, in a separate announcement, urged moon-sighting committees across the kingdom to observe the crescent moon yesterday evening either with the naked eye or through binoculars and report their findings to the nearest court. The sighting will determine the official beginning of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar and the period during which Muslims perform the annual pilgrimage.
The Day of Arafah, regarded as the most significant day of Hajj, is expected to fall on May 26. Dhul Hijjah also marks Eid Al Adha, one of Islam's most important religious festivals commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, in obedience to Allah's command. Astronomers believe Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries are likely to celebrate Eid Al Adha on May 27.
Some countries, including the United Arab Emirates, have already announced public holidays for the celebration. The UAE Federal Authority for Government Human Resources said the Eid holiday would begin on May 25 and end on May 29, coinciding with the weekend and giving workers a nine-day break before resumption on June 1.
