Preparations for the 2023 Hajj is in top gear as the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has allocated 70,127 slots to all the 36 State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the 2023 Hajj.
In the list released to Muslim News on Saturday at the end of its exco meeting which ratified the allocation and signed by the Commission’s Assistant Director, Information and Publications, Mousa Ubandawaki, Kaduna and Kano got the highest numbers of allocation: 5982 and 5,902 respectively.
They were closely followed by Sokoto and Niger, with 5,504 and 5,165 allocations each.
Others are: Abia (53), Adamawa (2,669), Anambra (39), Bauchi (3,132), Bayelsa (35), Benue (236), Borno (2,735), Cross Rivers (66), Delta (74), Nassarawa (1,567), Ogun (1,139), Ondo (436), Osun (1,054), Oyo (1,441), Yobe (1,968), Ebonyi (117), Edo (274).
Ekiti (197), Enugu (40), FCT (3,520), Gombe (2,301), Imo (30), Jigawa (1,525), Katsina (4,913), Kebbi (4,871), Kwara (3,219), Lagos (3,576), Plateau (1,984), Rivers (50), Taraba (1,590).
Further findings by Muslim News showed that the state operators received 20,000 slots while the armed forces got 548 slots for this year’s pilgrimage to holy land in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ubandawaki explained that the allocation for Kogi State would be released after the conclusion of an ongoing review of its activities, adding that allocation for Akwa Ibom State has been suspended due to non-renewal of operating licence.
“Meanwhile, all states are expected to remit payment of 50% of the 2023 seat allocation to the Commission before the 10th of February deadline. Inability of any state to comply with the deadline date will lead to reduction in allocation to such state,” NAHCON said.
Recall that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had in December 2022 restore the 95,000 pre-COVID-19 allocation to the Nigerian contingents ahead of the 2023 Holy pilgrimage.
