Appraising 2025 Hajj Operations

Magdalene Ukuedojor
Jul, Sat, 2025

Features

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By Deji Abdulwahab, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

On May 9 in Owerri, Imo, Vice-President Kashim Shettima inaugurated the maiden flight for the 2025 Hajj operations.

Afterwards, stakeholders in the Hajj operations have been sharing their experiences on the just concluded Hajj exercise.

From Nigerian pilgrims and Hajj administrators to designated Nigerian air carriers and Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Commissions, it has been commendations on the tremendous improvement in the 2025 Hajj operations in comparison to previous years.

Nonetheless, some participants highlighted areas like toilet facility and pilgrims’ visit to some holy sites that need to be improved upon.

Alhaji Mashood Jimba, the Chairman, Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (KMPWB), said the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) performed creditably well in areas of food, accommodation, transportation, coordination and service delivery.

Jimba said the feat enabled the pilgrims to perform their Hajj rites with ease, adding that the commission needed to improve on the provision of consular matters and adequate toilet facilities for pilgrims during future exercises.

He, however, said that the toilets provided for the pilgrims at the camps in Mina needed to be improved upon in the upcoming 2026 Hajj operation.

“NAHCON needs to improve in the area of toilets.

“For example, Kwara comprising 2,206 pilgrims, were given only one toilet of 10 rooms, which really stressed us as there was too much congestion.’’

Jimba said that one had to wake up at midnight when there was no congestion to be able to go to the toilet without stress.

The chairman added that NAHCON needed to work closely with the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the Consular General’s Office in Saudi Arabia to get things done on time.

He said that aside the aforementioned, other things like food, accommodation, transportation were fantastic.

“NAHCON has shown us that if Nigerians want to do something, they can do it as they have the capacity, intelligence, and manpower.

“So, all these things put together, we’ve seen in NAHCON this year what we have never seen before, in terms of proper coordination, connectivity, and service delivery to the pilgrims,” he said.

Jimba said that the commission provided buses, which conveyed Nigerian pilgrims on a tour to the holy sites.

In the same vein, Malam Kadiri Edah, the Chairman, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, praised NAHCON for recording feats in the transportation of pilgrims.

“NAHCON did well when compared to previous years.

“The transportation operations for the pilgrims were very smooth, because the airliners that were allocated, especially to FCT, if I may talk about FCT, had the capacity to transport as many as 400 as against 200 last year.

“And then coming to menu, they did pretty well, because as we observed, the tents provided were much spacious than they used to be, and the food was commendable.

“On health, they did well too, because for issues that we had, there was prompt attention, prompt responses; I think it was a fair mark for them.”

Edah said although there were issues of visa as 1500 pilgrims were granted visa out of 1,531.

He said that the remaining 31 pilgrims could not go for Hajj due to visa closure by the government of Saudi Arabia.

Edah said the board was able to manage the health challenges facing its pilgrims, citing a case of a staff member who collapsed and was rushed to the health centre with the ambulance during Arafat Day.

“In fact, at a point, he was almost unconscious but he got resuscitated and came back to the tent late in the night and he is well now,’’ he said.

More so, Alhaji Daiyabu Daudu, Executive Secretary, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Plateau, commended NAHCON for providing quality facilities in Mina and Arafat to ensure a hitch-free Hajj operation.

Daudu, who lauded the 2025 Hajj operation, said it was better organised than that of 2024.

He said that the tents put in place in Mina and Arafat were much better than last year.

“When we were in Mina and Arafat, I was so happy because the tents there were much better than last year.

“Also in Mina, it was not as bad as last year or previous years; it was okay; we thank NAHCON for their good arrangement this year.

“Last year, we raised some issues like the tents in Mina, clinics, and toilets. We complained to them last year, and this year, we see a lot of improvement ‘” he said.

Alhaji Auwal Suleiman, Seriki Hausawa and Amir Hajj of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Imo, said that NAHCON had recorded tremendous achievements in the areas of accommodations and feeding.

Suleiman said the experience had been awesome.

“We thank NAHCON for all the things they have done to ensure that we are okay in terms of feeding, accommodation and hospitality,” he said.

Malam Muritala Fakunle, Executive Secretary, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Osun, described facilities put in place in the holy places: Mina and Arafat for the 2025 Hajj rites as “superb and wonderful.”

Fakunle also described as wonderful the hospitality service rendered to the pilgrims, especially in Osun pilgrims’ camp.

According to him, the bedding is superb, as it has been modernised and places where pilgrims can hang their bags and shoes have been provided within the tent.

“We have more space than the number of people; so, we have access; and that is part of the kudos to NAHCON,” he said.

Alhaji Abubakar Mahmud, Secretary, Amiru Hajj Team, Taraba, commended NAHCON for making pilgrims’ Nusuk cards ready in Madina before proceeding to Makkah for Hajj rites.

“I want to tell you that we are highly impressed with the hospitality and the way our people were organised in an orderly manner.

“We commend the NAHCON for its effective handling of the general Hajj operations but they need to improve on the pilgrims’ visit (Ziyarah) to Prophet’s graveyard (Rawdah), that is only problem we have. It is usually hard for people to get access to Rawdah.

“Apart from this, we visited other places like the Prophet’s mosque, Haram al-Nobawi, Masjid Quba, Masjid Uhud,” he said.

Worthy of mention, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, National Coordinator, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a faith based Civil Society Organisation (CSO), commended the stakeholders involved in transporting pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for smooth conduct of operations.

Muhammed said that available information showed that almost everyone involved in the airlift and reception operations was up and doing, hence the successes recorded.

“Special commendation also goes to all officials across the states who promptly mobilised their pilgrims to transit camps and the airlines for always arriving on time for departure.

“We commend the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the seamless visa processing procedure, one of the critical challenges to pilgrim’s airlift in the past.

“We are also unaware of any pilgrims’ complaints regarding issuance of BTA, room allocation in Madina or feeding,” he said.

Speaking at the Post-Arafat Stakeholders’ Meeting in Makkah, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Usman, attributed the successes recorded in the 2025 Hajj operation to teamwork, hard work and dedication by all stakeholders.

Usman thanked the stakeholders for their tireless efforts towards successful 2025 Hajj operation.

“We thank you all for being part of the 2025 Hajj Operation; we recorded so many successes this year, and these were possible because of your teamwork, hard work and dedication.

“I thank you for your tireless work to ensure the success of this year’s Hajj.

“I have no words to express my deep appreciation and gratitude for your efforts in this regard, I only pray Almighty Allah to reward you abundantly,” he said.

In addition, Mr Aliyu Abdulrasaq, NAHCON Commissioner of Policy, Personnel and Finance, stressed the need for stakeholders to plan ahead of 2026 Hajj to mitigate the challenges of visa, accommodation and other logistics.

“I want to make it known to the public that preparation for Hajj 2026 has begun; the Saudi Authority has warned that we must keep the timeline of all the activities.

“The idea of not getting visa, not preparing, not getting accommodation, and all other logistics are not going to be entertained in the 2026 Hajj Operation.”

The NAHCON commissioner emphasised the need to open some accounts to mitigate the challenges of Business Travel Account (BTA), cash and card issues.

“It is advisable that we look at the issue of accommodation properly and carefully. We can renegotiate before going back to Nigeria,” he said.

He expressed optimism that if all necessary documents were well prepared for the 2026 Hajj operation, the accommodation will be comfortable and meet all the standards.

Prof. Abdulrasak Alaro, while delivering his report on behalf of the NAHCON Ulama Team, lauded the smooth 2025 Hajj operations.

Alaro said that 2025 Hajj exercise, as far as the national ulama was concerned, went smoothly.

“We engaged in so many activities, all tailored towards achieving the slogan of this year’s Hajj, which is Hajj and positive change.”

He said that the Ulama team engaged pilgrims in the area of awareness creation and personal guidance.

“There was intensive awareness creation and guidance when they were approached.

“For the first time, we had four flags in our own local languages, that Nigerian pilgrims can just click their phones and seek guidance of any area of the pilgrimage or Hajj rights.

“A total of 10 maps were distributed to scholars who are multi-faceted and competent to give guidance on areas of Hajj practices in Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Yoruba, Kanuri, and other local languages,” he said.

All in all, observers say that while there is room for improvement, the organisers of the 2025 Hajj operations have creditably acquitted themselves.(NANFeatures).

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

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