NAHCON Secures Additional 10,000 Slots For 2027 Hajj

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has secured an additional 10,000 slots for Nigerian pilgrims for the 2027 Hajj following sustained diplomatic interventions by the Federal Government.

A top NAHCON official disclosed the development, saying the additional allocation followed high-level engagements with Saudi Arabian authorities after the Kingdom initially rejected Nigeria’s request for an increase in its Hajj quota.

The breakthrough means Nigeria’s 2027 Hajj allocation will rise from the previously announced 50,000 slots to 60,000 pilgrims, subject to the final arrangements by the relevant authorities.

The official said the development followed interventions by the Presidency, the Office of the Vice President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and NAHCON.

Saudi Arabia had about two weeks ago formally declined Nigeria’s request for additional slots, citing capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and its policy of maintaining approved country allocations.

Following the initial decision, NAHCON had announced an allocation of 50,000 pilgrims for Nigeria, comprising 35,000 government pilgrims and 15,000 slots for licensed private Hajj tour operators.

The official said sustained diplomatic engagements eventually yielded a positive response from the Saudi authorities, which agreed to make an additional 10,000 slots available to Nigeria.

The development is expected to provide relief to thousands of prospective Nigerian pilgrims who were faced with limited opportunities to participate in next year’s pilgrimage.

NAHCON had earlier informed stakeholders that September 26, 2026 was the deadline for uploading prospective pilgrims’ data to Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk-Masar platform, with no extension expected at the time.

However, the additional allocation is expected to necessitate a fresh window for registration and the uploading of the details of additional prospective pilgrims.

The commission is expected to communicate the new arrangements and revised timelines to state Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards, agencies, licensed tour operators and other stakeholders involved in the 2027 Hajj operation.

The additional 10,000 slots also come amid strong demand from Nigerians seeking to perform the pilgrimage, with the earlier 50,000 allocation having created pressure among prospective pilgrims and Hajj administrators.

The latest development followed the Federal Government’s diplomatic push to secure a higher quota for Nigeria, after Saudi Arabia initially maintained its position on the country’s 2027 allocation.

With the additional slots now secured, attention is expected to shift to the modalities for their distribution and the arrangements for registering and processing the newly accommodated pilgrims.