* Selects new service providers, signs MoU with Saudi Arabia
+ Details of one-week global Hajj, Umrah Conference, Exhibition
Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has kept the ball rolling since he assumed office in October 2024.
Prof. Saleh became the NAHCON boss following the dismissal of Alhaji Jalal Arabi, his predecessor, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Preparing for the 2025 Hajj, which is some months away, the current chairman has convened a series of meetings with stakeholders and initiated processes for a successful pilgrimage to the holy land.
Professor Saleh also toured states of the country to meet with critical stakeholders, including political leaders and religious leaders, in his quest for a seamless Hajj 2025.
In what has become an annual tradition, the month of January 2025 was headlined by the working visit of the NAHCON team led by the Chairman to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The visit, which was at the instance of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, was to finalise pre-Hajj arrangements for the Nigerian contingent, Muslim News learnt.
A major highlight of the visit which commenced on Tuesday, January 7 was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the 2025 Hajj between the Nigerian delegation and Saudi’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry.
The NAHCON team included select commissioners, representatives from the state pilgrims’ welfare boards/agencies/commissions, private tour operators, and some board members of NAHCON.
They were also joined by representatives from the National Assembly, the Presidency, and the aviation industry.
… Signing of MoU with Saudi Arabia
On Sunday, January 12, the NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Saleh, signed the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of Nigeria with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.
The NAHCON boss was accompanied to the event by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello; the Chairman of the House Committee on Muslim Pilgrimage, Hon. Jafaru Muhammed Ali; Nigeria’s Chargé de Affairs, Riyadh, Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo; Nigeria’s Consul General, Jeddah, Amb. Muazzam Nayaya; and Amb. Mahmud Lele of Foreign Affairs.
On the other hand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was represented by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat.
As the momentous signing was taking place in Jeddah, back home in Nigeria, NAHCON announced the selection of four airlines as official air carriers for pilgrims in the upcoming 2025 Hajj.
Announcement of Airlines, cargo carriers
Back home in Nigeria, the Commission announced that the federal government has approved four airlines as official air carriers for Nigerian pilgrims of the 2025 Hajj.
The selected airlines are Air Peace Limited, Fly-Nas, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Limited (in alphabetical order).
“These carriers were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications for the airlift of Nigerian Muslim pilgrims,” the Commission said in a statement by its spokesperson, Fatima Sanda Usara.
The statement further said that the air carriers were screened and shortlisted by a 32-member committee inaugurated by the NAHCON Chairman on November 26, 2024.
“Similarly, three excess cargo carriers were selected for the year’s Hajj operations. They are Aglow Aviation Support Services Limited, Cargozeal Technology Limited, and Qualla Investment Limited (also in alphabetical order),” the statement added.
Prof. Saleh congratulated the successful companies and urged them to fulfil their responsibilities as promised during the screening.
Nigerian delegate joins world at Hajj Expo
On Monday, January 13, the Hajj and Umrah Exhibition and Conference, also known as the Hajj Expo, was declared open.
Now in its fourth edition, the Hajj Expo was held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, at the Jeddah Superdome and lasted till Thursday, January 16.
Muslim News gathered that the global Hajj Conference featured an exhibition that included over 45 workshop sessions, panel discussions, Hajj talks and a display of ultramodern technologies for operational efficiency and prominent solutions for crowd management.”
Makkah Deputy, Governor Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the event, which was attended by the Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Islamic ministers, ambassadors, representatives and stakeholders in hajj affairs from more than 100 countries, including Nigeria.
Muslim News gathered that the four-day event, which was hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program, featured the participation of over 300 exhibitors from various sectors and over 100 speakers, both local and international service providers.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the event included 50 panel discussions focusing on shaping the future of sectors related to pilgrims, with an expected turnout of 150,000 visitors.
The deputy governor toured the exhibition held alongside the conference. Spanning an area of 50,000 square meters, the exhibition focuses on hajj services, showcasing the latest technologies and innovations aimed at enriching the hajj experience and enhancing services provided to pilgrims.
The theme of the conference was “The Road to the Nusuk,” with key topics such as logistics, transportation, crowd management, housing, hospitality and catering — pillars for improving rites and pilgrim services, according to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Country representatives that attended the Expo discovered and selected from a variety of service providers ready to offer standard services on the grounds of the exhibition.
Private and public Hajj operators connected with, negotiated and entered agreements with such service providers that exhibit their products at the event.
Nigeria was well-represented at the largest gathering dedicated to hajj and Umrah services. All participants were at various times seen attentively engaged in serious discussions at the expo.
NAHCON drops Ithraa Alkhair, selects a new service provider
As part of their activities during the Hajj Expo, the NAHCON team toured offices of service providers in Makkah and Jeddah to guide their decision to choose the best options for Nigerian pilgrims in the 2025 Hajj.
Among other companies, they visited Ithra al Juud and Ithra al Diyafah Holdings, Mashariqi Al-Masia and Mashariq Al-Dhahabia.
They assessed the companies’ experience in catering management, accommodation management and transportation management.
“Questions were also asked on standards, capacity, manpower, especially under catering, how they plan to meet the culinary tastes of Nigerians taking into cognisance that the country is culturally diverse, how they plan to meet the needs of Nigerian pilgrims, especially since majority may be experiencing an international trip for the first time,” Sanda Usara said about the visit.
Meanwhile, on Friday, January 17, the Nigerian delegation achieved a milestone by signing a contract with a new service provider, Mashariqi al-Dhahabia Company, bringing an end to their relationship with Ithraa Alkhair Company, which has experienced poor service delivery of Nigerian pilgrims in recent years.
Recall that Nigerian pilgrims have always complained of services rendered by the Company at masha’ir – during the five days they spend at sacred places like Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, when the hajj rites commence.
Few weeks ago, the Saudi company refunded N4.4 billion to Nigerian pilgrims over poor service delivery during the 2023 hajj. There were also such complaints at the 2024 hajj led by the immediate former NAHCON chairman.
… CSO supports NAHCON’s selection of a New Saudi based Service Provider
The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), a faith-based civil society organization that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for selecting a different Saudi-based Hajj service provider for the 2025 Hajj season.
The CSO said the decision would create healthy competition among service providers interested in efficiently, qualitatively, and satisfactorily serving Nigerian pilgrims.
IHR, in a statement signed on Sunday, January 19, by its National Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, said the quest for improved Hajj services has been a major challenge for Nigerian pilgrims due to the repeated failure to provide satisfactory services.
”We applauded the decision to pick another service provider that will cater for the needs of pilgrims within the Masha’ir areas during the five days of Hajj.”
The national coordinator, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to monitor the pre-Hajj arrangements, said available information shows that the new Company, Mashariq Al Dhahabia, is an experienced provider that has served top-rated Hajj countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, and ranked among the top five Hajj service providers by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The Company served 249 706 which is the largest number of hajj pilgrims during the 2023 hajj. They were awarded the Best Hajj Service Providers during the 2022 Hajj by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
IHR said it further understood that NAHCON is planning to recruit another service provider to provide services for VIP pilgrims so as not to repeat the experience of previous years, which is also a desired step forward.
However, the CSO urged NAHCON to set a parameter of performance for the newly selected Service Providers to serve as a baseline for determining continuous patronage. Such criteria should be based on pilgrims’ satisfaction and adherence to contractual terms, it stated.
…Announces slight increase in 2025 Hajj fare
The Commission led by Prof Saleh on Monday, January 20 announced Hajj fare for the 2025 pilgrimage to the holy land.
The fare was announced sequel to approval from the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, after extensive consultations to ensure inclusivity in the important decision-making process.
Fatima Usara Sanda, the Commission’s Assistant Director Information and Publication, in a statement issued on Monday, acknowledged the collaborative effort of NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman and Vice President Kashim Shettima in ensuring that the hajj fare remains within the neighbourhood of N8m.
“Indeed, the NAHCON Chairman and his team in collaboration with representative of the Presidency, Mallam Ameen Amshi, who is the Special Assistant to the President, Special Duties did their best to maintain the hajj fare within the same range as previously charged.
The Commission fixed N8.3m for intending pilgrims from Borno and Adamawa zones. While intending pilgrims from the northern zone are expected pay N8.4m. Pilgrims from southern states will be paying N8.7m.
According to the statement, “the 2025 hajj fare for Borno and Adamawa zones, intending pilgrims are expected to pay ₦8,327,125.59 (Eight million, three hundred and twenty-seven thousand, one hundred and twenty five Naira, fifty-nine kobo).
“Similarly, the cost of 2025 hajj for intending pilgrims from southern states is ₦8, 784, 085.59 (Eight million, seven hundred and eighty four thousand, eighty five Naira fifty, nine kobo).
“Intending pilgrims from the northern zone will pay ₦8, 457,685.59 (Eight million, four hundred and fifty seven thousand, six hundred and eighty five Naira, fifty nine kobo).
NAHCON appreciated those who actively participated in stemming the cost of hajj, including the leadership of the State Executive Secretaries, namely Mallam Idris Ahmad Almakura; the Forum Chairman who doubles as the Executive Secretary (E.S) of Nasarawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board, his colleague from Kebbi State and the Deputy Chairman of the Forum, Alhaji Faruku Aliyu Yaro, with his Secretary as well as the E.S of Adamawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Salihu among others who worked tirelessly to ensure that the fare did not increase.
Professor Saleh commended the entire team, describing the hajj fare as a product of extensive collaboration with all stakeholders.
The Chairman who also appreciated the support of the Presidency and the Forum of State Executive Secretaries, urged prospective pilgrims to take note of the timelines and Saudi guidelines while emphasizing the importance of early payment and timely registration to avoid last-minute inconveniences.
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