Vice President Kashim Shettima has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for what he described as the seamless conduct of the 2026 Hajj operation, urging the Commission to sustain the high standard in future pilgrimages.
Shettima gave the commendation on Wednesday when he received the Board and management of NAHCON alongside representatives of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The delegation briefed the Vice President on the just concluded 2026 Hajj exercise and outlined plans for future operations.
The statement was issued on Wednesday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President. 
Congratulating NAHCON, the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards and other stakeholders, the Vice President praised their performance, describing the 2026 Hajj as an almost seamless operation.
He said the achievement should serve as the benchmark for future exercises, particularly as efforts continue to establish a more sustainable system capable of delivering a completely hitch free pilgrimage.
Earlier, NAHCON Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, presented a summary of the 2026 Hajj exercise and informed the Vice President about Saudi Arabia’s transition to a more sustainable business to business model for Hajj operations.
He explained that the Saudi authorities have decided to transfer the management of about 98 percent of pilgrims to private tour operators as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reforms.
Under the new arrangement, Hajj commissions will retain their regulatory responsibilities while operational aspects of the pilgrimage are increasingly handled by the private sector.
Ambassador Yusuf assured the Vice President that NAHCON remains fully committed to implementing the new framework, adding that preparations are already underway to ensure a smooth transition.
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