NAHCON, State Pilgrims Boards Agree on May 9, for Inaugural Hajj Flight
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, and State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board Executive Secretaries have fixed May 9 for the inaugural flight to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Hajj.
The date was fixed today at their meeting in Abuja.
In his Opening Speech, NAHCON Chairman Professor Abdullah Saleh Usman,called on the states to update NAHCON on the level each state has reached in Visa production, vaccination, bags procurement and other sundry matters.
During the meeting, Commissioner Operatiions, Prince Anofiu Elegushi disclosed that Air Peace has been assigned 5,128 pilgrims from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Armed Forces, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River,Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, Rivers, and Taraba.
FlyNas on the other hand was allocated 12,506 pilgrims from Federal Capital Territory, (FCT Abuja), Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara states. FlyNas is bringing in nine aircraft for the operation.
Max Air is airlifting pilgrims from Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Oyo and Plateau states. The airline promised to conclude airlift of its 15, 203 pilgrims by 24th of May. Two aircraft will be deployed for the operation- a B747 with 400 capacity and the second aircraft with a 560 capacity.
Umza has been allocated 10,163 pilgrims from Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Niger and Yobe states. Umza is deploying two aircraft a B747 with 477 capacity and a B777 with 310 capacity.
The 2025 Hajj airlift distribution was calculated on a total of 43,000 pilgrims.
The Commissioner Planning Research Statistics Information and Library Services , Prof Abubakar Yagawal informed the house of the level of the Commission’s preparedness in terms of clinics secured in Makkah and Madinah, distribution of Yellow Cards to states, and reminded them not to enroll pregnant women for the Hajj exercise.
The meeting further deliberated and settled on 9th of May as date of inaugural flight to be concluded by 24th of May.
The inbound flight is tentatively scheduled to commence from 13th June to end by 2nd July.
