Gloria Robert, Abuja
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced a slight reduction in the final fare for the 2027 Hajj pilgrimage.
In a statement issued on Friday, the commission said pilgrims from the Maiduguri/Yola Zone will pay N7,560,822, while those from other Northern states will pay N7,672,822. Pilgrims from the Southern Zone will pay N7,882,822.
The fares are lower than the N7,579,020.96, N7,696,769.76 and N7,991,141.76 paid by pilgrims from the respective zones for the 2026 Hajj.
NAHCON said the fares were determined based on transparency, cost efficiency and the Federal Government’s commitment to pilgrims’ welfare.
The commission said the decision followed consultations with the Forum of State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, service providers in Saudi Arabia, as well as consideration of prevailing exchange rates and service costs.
It urged pilgrims who had deposited N5 million to pay their outstanding balances, while new registrants were advised to make payments through their respective state pilgrims’ welfare boards or approved Hajj Savings Scheme banks.
NAHCON fixed September 26, 2026, as the deadline for uploading pilgrims’ biometric data on the Nusuk-Masar platform, while states must remit all 2027 Hajj fares by December 2, 2026.
“No extension will be granted beyond this deadline,” the commission warned, adding that failure to meet the deadlines could lead to forfeiture of allocated Hajj slots.
Meanwhile, NAHCON approved five airlines for the transportation of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in 2027.
They are Air Peace, Max Air, Umza Aviation Services, Flynas and Saudi Air.
The commission said the airlines were selected after a screening process based on safety, operational capacity and financial requirements.
It added that the carriers must comply with the requirements of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
In Kano, the state has been allocated 3,600 Hajj seats for the 2027 pilgrimage.
The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has also fixed August 25, 2026, as the deadline for registered intending pilgrims to submit valid international passports for data capturing.
The Director-General of the board, Abubakar Ibrahim Matawalle, disclosed this at a press conference.
He said the deadline was necessary to enable the board to complete registration, documentation and other preparations before the Saudi Hajj registration server is expected to close.
“Any registered intending pilgrim who fails to submit his or her valid international passport on or before 25 August 2026 may not be allocated a Hajj seat,” Matawalle warned.
He urged intending pilgrims and their families to comply with the directive, stressing that the board would not be responsible for consequences arising from failure to meet the deadline.
Matawalle also appealed to the media to publicise the directive, particularly in rural communities, and assured intending pilgrims of the board’s support throughout the registration and documentation process.
