The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that 14,165 Nigerian pilgrims, representing 34.4% of the total expected participants, have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by Hajia Fatima Usara, Assistant Director of Information and Publication at NAHCON, in a statement providing updates on the ongoing Hajj airlift operations.
According to her, within just five days, 35 flights have successfully transported the pilgrims to the Kingdom, marking significant progress compared to the same period in 2024 when only 9,788 pilgrims (20.2%) had been airlifted in 23 flights.
States that have completed their airlifts include Oyo, Abia, Kogi, and Nasarawa, while Ondo and Ekiti are finalizing arrangements for a joint final flight.
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“No flight cancellations have been recorded so far,” Usara confirmed, adding that one of the carriers transporting pilgrims from Niger State even arrived ahead of schedule.
NAHCON credited the smooth operations to the collaboration with state pilgrims’ boards, the decision to engage four airlines, and the release of full flight schedules by Saudi authorities. All flights are currently landing in Madinah as planned, with the first set of pilgrims expected to proceed to Makkah today for Umrah rituals.
The Commission also issued a warning to the public, emphasizing that no official Hajj visa has been issued to Nigeria outside of authorized channels. “Anyone claiming to possess or sell such visas should be reported,” Usara said.
