The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has strengthened its preparations for the 2026 Hajj with renewed focus on coordination, capacity building, and improved service delivery, particularly in Madina. This was highlighted during a strategic operational review session held at the Hajj House, Abuja, attended by the Chairman, Commissioners, Directors, and representatives of Acosta Media.
The session, which formed part of NAHCON’s monthly staff training, focused on Madina operations. NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, stressed the importance of professionalism, discipline, and synergy across departments as Saudi Arabia continues to introduce new policies and technological reforms.
“Policies and technologies in Saudi Arabia change every year, and the expectations of Nigerian pilgrims continue to rise. We must therefore ensure we are fully prepared, better informed, and highly coordinated,” he said.
Reflecting on operational gaps observed in the last Hajj exercise, Professor Usman said those lessons must drive improvements in the 2026 operations. He encouraged staff to ask questions, share knowledge, and collaborate more effectively, noting that Hajj operations evolve yearly even for officials permanently based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a firm message to operational teams, the Commissioner in charge of Policy, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PRSILS), Professor Abubakar Yagawal, emphasized the need to eliminate all complaints from pilgrims in Madina. He described Madina as a spiritually sensitive environment and urged officials to ensure pilgrims experience comfort from their arrival at the airport through their accommodation and visitation arrangements.
“Please try to solve their problems, because any complaint against Madina, to my own sight, is a complaint to the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, do not allow our pilgrims to make any complaint whether on food, accommodation, or visitations,” he said.
Professor Yagawal noted that a smooth start in Madina set a positive tone for a pilgrim’s entire journey, whereas early discomfort could have lasting negative effects. While commending the dedication of NAHCON teams working at the Madina airport, he appealed for even greater effort in 2026.
Earlier, the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Alhaji Alidu Shutti, reaffirmed management’s commitment to building staff capacity ahead of the exercise. He encouraged officers to participate actively, noting that some training materials would be relevant to the Commission’s forthcoming promotion examinations.
The session reinforced NAHCON’s determination to provide Nigerian pilgrims with a seamless, efficient, and spiritually fulfilling Hajj experience. With leadership stressing preparedness, unity, and exceptional service delivery especially in Madina NAHCON aimed to surpass previous standards as preparations for the 2026 Hajj intensify.
