Nigeria Hajj slots rise by 10,000 to 60,000 for 2027 after Saudi approval, expanding access for state boards and licensed tour operators

Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, has announced that Saudi Arabia has approved 10,000 additional Hajj slots for Nigeria, lifting the country’s 2027 allocation from 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims.

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The decision, announced by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in Abuja on Thursday, follows renewed diplomatic engagement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Saudi authorities after an earlier request for an increased allocation was rejected in September.

The additional Nigeria Hajj slots comprise 7,500 places for State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Agencies and Commissions, while 2,500 will go to seven lead licensed tour operator companies, according to NAHCON.

The development provides a significant expansion for prospective Nigerian pilgrims, although it comes as preparations for the 2027 pilgrimage have already moved into a tightly regulated phase.

Yusuf welcomed the decision and thanked the Nigerian and Saudi governments for their cooperation. In an earlier reaction to the renewed approval, he described the additional allocation as an “Independence gift” to Nigerian Muslim pilgrims.

In its latest statement, NAHCON said the additional allocation reflected the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia and assured stakeholders that the new places would be administered transparently and in line with the regulations of both countries.

“The additional allocation brings Nigeria’s total Hajj allocation for the 2027 pilgrimage from 50,000 to 60,000 slots,” NAHCON said in the statement signed by Shafii Sani Mohammed, Head of its Information and Publications Division.

The increase marks a notable change from the position announced by NAHCON on September 17. At that time, Saudi authorities had declined Nigeria’s request for additional places, citing capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and the need to maintain approved country quotas.

The 50,000 allocation in place before the new decision consisted of 35,000 places for state and Federal Capital Territory pilgrims and 15,000 for licensed private Hajj tour operators operating under seven approved lead companies.

NAHCON said the latest approval followed sustained high-level diplomatic engagements between the two governments.

The commission has not suggested that the new 10,000 places alter the regulatory framework governing registration, payments or pilgrim data.

Those requirements remain an important part of the preparations. NAHCON had previously set September 26, 2026 as the deadline for uploading intending pilgrims’ biometric information to Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk-Masar platform, while states were required to complete remittances for the 2027 Hajj by December 2.

The timing of the additional allocation therefore creates a practical administrative question over how the newly approved pilgrims will be processed, particularly given that the earlier biometric deadline has already passed.

NAHCON is expected to provide further operational guidance on the implementation of the additional allocation.

The commission has also faced scrutiny over the distribution of the original 50,000 places. In September, NAHCON rejected allegations that 5,000 Hajj slots had been diverted, saying the allocation followed Saudi requirements and Nigerian regulatory procedures.

The commission subsequently warned intending pilgrims and operators against unauthorised demands for money in exchange for guaranteed Hajj places, stressing that official allocations must follow established procedures.

For pilgrims, the latest announcement comes against the backdrop of rising logistical and financial demands surrounding the annual journey.

NAHCON previously approved 2027 fares ranging from ₦7,560,822 for pilgrims departing from the Maiduguri and Yola zones to ₦7,882,822 for the southern zone.

The broader context also reflects the complexity of Saudi Arabia’s management of Hajj capacity. During the 2026 exercise, Nigeria ultimately operated with an operational quota of 50,000 pilgrims, despite an earlier allocation of 95,000 places.

NAHCON said the 2026 outbound airlift carried about 39,000 government-quota pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through 98 flights over 18 days.

For the 2027 pilgrimage, the immediate priority will be translating the newly approved allocation into confirmed places for intending pilgrims while maintaining compliance with Saudi operational requirements.

Yusuf has pledged that NAHCON will work with Saudi authorities, state pilgrims’ welfare agencies and licensed tour operators to coordinate the expanded operation and protect the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims.

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The additional 10,000 places bring Nigeria’s total approved allocation for the 2027 Hajj to 60,000, giving more Nigerian Muslims an opportunity to undertake the pilgrimage while placing fresh administrative demands on the commission and other stakeholders responsible for the exercise.