Major Relief for Nigerian Pilgrims as NAHCON Slashes 2026 Hajj Costs
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has delivered significant financial relief to intending pilgrims by announcing substantial reductions in the cost of performing the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage. This move comes as part of efforts to ease the economic burden on Nigerian Muslims aspiring to undertake the spiritual journey to Mecca.
Detailed Breakdown of New Hajj Fares
In a revised fare structure released on Monday, the commission revealed that pilgrims from the Southern Zone will benefit the most with a massive reduction of N792,943.83. This brings the new fare to N7,991,141.76, down from the previous N8,784,085.59.
Pilgrims departing from the Northern Zone will also enjoy considerable savings with a decrease of N760,915.83, setting their new fare at N7,696,769.76. For those traveling from the traditionally lowest-cost Borno–Adamawa axis, the fare has been reviewed to N7,579,020.96 following a reduction of N748,104.63.
New Deadline and Slot Allocation Changes
The commission has set December 5, 2025 as the new deadline for full payment completion. NAHCON emphasized that this timeline is crucial for finalizing visa processing, airline arrangements, and other logistical preparations for the pilgrimage.
In a significant development, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reduced Nigeria's Hajj slot allocation from 95,000 to 66,910 pilgrims effective from 2026. This reduction follows Nigeria's inability to fully utilize its previous slot during both the 2024 and 2025 Hajj exercises.
According to a statement signed by NAHCON's Deputy Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Sanda Usara, this change means earlier seat allocations to states will be revised. The new allocation will be based on the number of pilgrims each state successfully transported during the 2025 Hajj.
High-Level Meetings and Presidential Directive
The fare reduction follows a high-stakes consultative meeting between NAHCON and state executives held in Abuja to address preparations for the 2026 Hajj. The meeting was convened in response to a direct mandate from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review and reduce the pilgrimage costs.
Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, disclosed that the commission's management had been summoned to the Vice President's office and explicitly instructed to implement the fare reduction. Elegushi stated, "Therefore, NAHCON saw the importance of also summoning the states to do it together for the betterment of the Nigerian pilgrims."
During the meeting, the Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Abdullahi Saleh Usman, stressed the critical importance of unity between states and NAHCON in managing the 2026 operations, while assuring state officials of the commission's full support and cooperation.
