The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a faith-based civil society organisation in the Hajj and Umrah industry, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the 36 state Governors to urgently provide a financial bailout to prevent Nigerian intending pilgrims from missing the 2026 Hajj.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, who is currently in Saudi Arabia for pre-Hajj preparations and attending the 5th Hajj and Umrah Conference in Jeddah, the organisation warned that Nigeria risk losing a significant portion of its Hajj quota if immediate action is not taken.
According to IHR, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has given the Nigerian Hajj authorities a two-week deadline to complete all payments for its allocated slots. The Ministry reportedly threatened to further reduce Nigeria’s already downgraded 66,000 slots to 50,000 if the payments are not made on time.
“The Saudi Ministry of Hajj has given Nigerian authorities 14 days to make all necessary payments for its allocated slots as other countries have done,” the statement said. “Failure to comply will lead to further reduction of Nigeria’s Hajj quota to 50,000.”
The group noted that Nigeria’s Hajj quota, which had remained 95,000 for over 20 years, has already been slashed to 66,000, warning that a further downgrade would permanently diminish the country’s status as one of the leading Hajj-participating nations.
IHR urged President Tinubu to rally the governors to approve a short-term loan covering their state allocations and make the funds available to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to enable it to meet the Saudi payment deadlines.
“Failure to assist will demote Nigeria from one of the major Hajj participating countries. Other nations are currently applying for increases in their quotas, while Nigeria risks losing more slots,” the CSO cautioned.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj has reportedly fixed December 21, 2025, as the deadline for payment of Mashaa’ir Camp fees on the Nusuk Wallet, while all countries are expected to finalise payments for camps and services by January 4, 2026.
IHR revealed that its findings shown fewer than 20,000 intending pilgrims have so far registered nationwide, putting NAHCON in a difficult financial position. The organisation emphasised that any loan approved by the government would be refunded to the states once pilgrims complete payment for their fares.
The group also blamed the slow pace of pre-Hajj preparations and the habit of waiting until the last minute particularly during Ramadan for the current low registration numbers.
“Our penchant for last-minute payments has worsened the situation this year. The time to act is now,” the statement added.
