Nigeria has concluded the return airlift of its 2026 Hajj contingent, with the final flight carrying pilgrims from Zamfara expected to touch down on Tuesday, bringing to a close a national operation that moved over 38,000 people to and from Saudi Arabia across several weeks.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria confirmed the completion through its spokesperson, Hajia Fatimah Usara, who described the exercise as a major national undertaking involving state pilgrims’ welfare boards, licensed tour operators, aviation partners, medical teams, security personnel, and the pilgrims themselves.
Not everyone is home yet. Twelve Nigerian pilgrims remain hospitalised in Saudi Arabia for various health conditions. NAHCON said it is monitoring their situations and has made arrangements to facilitate their return once they are discharged. No further details were provided about the nature of their conditions or their current state.
Usara acknowledged that the exercise was not without difficulties, noting that challenges were encountered in the course of operations without specifying what those challenges were. She said lessons had been drawn from the experience and would be applied to future Hajj operations, a standard commitment from NAHCON at the close of each season but one that carries more weight when stated alongside a formal admission that things did not go perfectly.
The commission has already begun planning for 2027. A circular dated June 15 was issued to all Hajj managers directing state welfare boards and licensed private tour operators to commence preparatory activities immediately, in compliance with guidance received from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. The early start reflects a recurring critique of Nigerian Hajj operations: that late planning compounds logistical problems that earlier preparation could have avoided.
NAHCON Chairman Ambassador Ismail Yusuf expressed gratitude for the overall success of the exercise and acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. The twelve pilgrims still receiving treatment in Riyadh and Mecca are a reminder that the 2026 operation is not entirely closed until every Nigerian who made the journey has made it back.
