Hijrah Upbeat Swing NAHCON for Hajj 2025

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (right) and Chairman/CEO NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman….
“… thus, he owes the Hajj-Pilgrimage to the House of God in Makkah; it is owed to God as a duty upon every person able to reach it; and those who disbelieve it: then let them know that God is, indeed, self-sufficient, not standing in need of any of His creation in all worlds.” Qur’an 3V97.

The National Hajj Commission is vested with statutory powers to regulate Hajj activities in Nigeria; hence no stone will be left unturned to ensure the pilgrims and Nigeria at large have a seamless, secure, and spiritually fulfilling Hajj-2025.

The past two weeks have been a hive of activity reflecting the level of commitment the Commission has placed on its obligations. Just this past Tuesday, January 7, 2025, a delegation headed by the Chairman of NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, was on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This visit, according to a statement, is at the invitation of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU) and is mostly about facilitating the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the 2025 Hajj, as well as ironing out prior arrangements towards the annual Muslim pilgrimage.

According to a statement released by the NAHCON Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Fatima Usara, the delegation consists of NAHCON Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS), Prof. Abubakar Abubakar Yagawal; Commissioner for Operations, Inspectorate, and Licensing Services (OILS), Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi; and Commissioner in charge Policy, Personnel Management, and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Aliu Abdulrazaq.

Representatives of the Pilgrims Welfare Board/Agency/Commissions (SPWB/A/C) of the States will join the Private Tour Operators in the pre-Hajj visits – the National Assembly, the Presidency, representatives of the aviation industry and select members of NAHCON Board would be part of the delegation providing oversight and facilitation during decision-making.

Usara further mentioned that significant activities of the visit comprise the Bilateral Meeting and MoU signing for Hajj 2025, which would take place on 12th January 2025. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar is to sign the MoU on behalf of Nigeria while the delegation shall also partake in the International Hajj Expo commencing on January 13, 2025 where they will visit and evaluate service provider options for Nigerian pilgrims.

Prior to these events, Usara affirmed, the head of NAHCON and his team would share in activities such as consular meetings, visits and meetings with heads of other countries’ Hajj missions, discussions with the Hajj e-track registration portal supervisor, and discussions with General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and stakeholders in finalizing the Commission’s set up for the signing of the MoU.

According to her, “following these engagements, different contracts would be signed based on what had been agreed upon. The agreement shall include the signing of contracts to United Agents, Cars Syndicates, Hospitality Services in Madinah, health supervision company among others.

“Other NAHCON officials will inspect accommodation, catering facilities, and medical establishments in Makkah and Madinah to ensure they meet the required standards before formal agreements are reached.

Earlier this week, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah hosted a full-fledged training program on the Nusuk Masar platform with members of NAHCON’s Nusuk Masar committee at the elm office in Jeddah as part of the preparation for Hajj 2025.

The sessions targeted building up the NAHCON staff’s capabilities utilizing some advanced features of Nusuk Masar, including real-time tracking, masha’ir, visa processing, accommodation coordination, and feeding coordination, among others, in preparing for the 2025 Hajj. The platform is set up to enhance the seamless operation of the 2025 Hajj and experience for pilgrims while adding efficiency and transparent management from Nigeria.

It is worth mentioning that the e-TRACK, or Nusuk-Masar, Committee, was inaugurated by NAHCON Chairman on October 17, 2024. During the event, he said the importance of such a programme was to streamline the pilgrimage processes for pilgrims. According to the committee members described by Prof. Usman, the activities of the committee are the backbone of the 2025 Hajj operation. Under the responsibilities of the committee are activating and managing the portal, training stakeholders, and ensuring that all comply with Saudi requirements.

In another development, the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, MUSWEN, hailed Alidu Shutti’s installation as Acting Secretary of the Commission, describing such a decision as “painstaking thoroughness in identifying quality personnel from within.”

The new appointee is urged, in a statement signed by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, President of MUSWEN and Deputy President-General (South) of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA): “bring your experience in running Hajj operations, which you have garnered and deployed over the years, to manifestly reflect in this new position of responsibility, for the benefit of the entire Muslim Ummah in Nigeria.”

MUSWEN went further to commend NAHCON Chairman for “this well-thought-out decision of looking inwards to identify an experienced hand, versatile in your operations. This is, as opposed to the approach of appointing someone who will still require going through training and induction into the culture and the inner workings of NAHCON.”

Moreover, while it extends a hand of fellowship for good partnership with NAHCON, especially in the South West, MUSWEN prays that the commission will continue to steer the ship of blissful Hajj for teeming Muslim brothers and sisters in Nigeria.

Headquartered in Ibadan, MUSWEN is the umbrella body for Islamic Communities/Councils and Islamic organizations in the six states of South West Nigeria – Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states.