By Mubarak Mahmood
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, says over twenty thousand Nigerian pilgrims have successfully arrived in Makkah for the 2026 Hajj exercise.
This was disclosed during a special review meeting organized by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on the fifteenth of May, 2026, to assess preparations for Masha’er activities ahead of the major Hajj rites.
Chairman of Mashariq Dhahabiyya, Sheikh Mohammad Ameen Andarqiri, commended the progress recorded in the ongoing Hajj operations, particularly in the areas of accommodation, feeding, transportation, medical services and pilgrims’ welfare.
According to reports presented at the meeting, pilgrims from Nasarawa, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo, Benue, Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Borno, Taraba, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto and Bauchi States have all been successfully received and accommodated in Makkah.
Although some delays were experienced during room allocations in a few locations, NAHCON officials and state authorities were said to have promptly addressed the challenges to ensure smooth settlement of the pilgrims.
Officials of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah also visited affected locations and confirmed that the issues had been resolved.
The report further revealed improvements in the quality and timely delivery of meals to pilgrims, while the National Medical Team confirmed that more than five hundred medical consultations had already been handled successfully in NAHCON clinics in Madinah and Makkah.
In another development, NAHCON has introduced digital innovations including GPS mapping of pilgrims’ accommodations, as well as real-time monitoring and reporting systems aimed at improving service delivery during the Hajj operations.
Field support staff were also reported to have assisted several pilgrims who lost their way in Makkah, while pilgrims have been advised to always carry their Nusuk cards for proper identification and access to services.
Meanwhile, passport management records indicate that about twenty thousand Nigerian pilgrims have so far been received in Makkah, with over nineteen thousand Nusuk cards already issued.
Officials at the review meeting commended the strong collaboration among operational committees, Saudi authorities and security agencies in ensuring the success of the 2026 Hajj operations.
Leave a Reply