NAHCON Orders Refunds for Late Payment Hajj Pilgrims

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by Chairman Ismail Abba Yusuf, has announced a refund for intending pilgrims who were affected by late payments for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage. This decision follows the early closure of data registration by Saudi authorities, which has particularly impacted those who made late payments.

NAHCON clarified that Nigeria's allocation stands at 40,250 pilgrims, excluding tour operators, and emphasized the importance of reconciling records to prevent operational bottlenecks. The commission has set a firm visa deadline of 1 Shawwal and instructed state pilgrim boards to ensure timely document uploads for visa issuance.

Additionally, NAHCON announced a reduction in the yellow card fee from N5,000 to N2,000 for the 2026 Hajj exercise. The commission will also monitor airline performance during the Hajj operations and warned that underperforming carriers may have pilgrims reassigned to better-performing airlines.