By DEJI ABDULWAHAB

Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards in states and tour operators have called on the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to review the 50,000 Hajj slots allocated to Nigeria for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

They demanded that the 66,910 slots allocated to Nigeria during the 2025 Hajj should be restored in order to accommodate more pilgrims.

The stakeholders made the request on Thursday while meeting with the Saudi Arabian Advance team led by Prof. Ghassan Al-Nuaimi.

The meeting was held ahead of the official visit of the Honourable Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabbiah, scheduled for Feb. 3.

Alhaji Aliyu Usman, the Chairman of Yobe Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, lamented that the Hajj slots reduction would deny many Nigerians opportunity for pilgrimage.

Ustaz Khidir Usaefat, Managing Director/CEO, Ar-rahama for Hajj and Umrah, also described as inadequate the Hajj quota allocated to Nigerian pilgrims to perform the 2026 Hajj.

“Now we are given 69 pilgrims per company, which is very low.

"Last year, we were given 150 pilgrims per company and in spite of the 150, most of us still went ahead and bought more.

“I heard that we have a company that has also purchased more than 300 additional slots to meet up with its passengers.

“So, this is cause for serious alarm because most of the tour operators will go into serious shortage and debt.

“We just expect the Minister of Hajj and Umrah to help us,” he said.

Musodiq Oladepo, Managing Director/CEO, KOB Travels and Tours Ltd, also lamented the reduction in slots.

“We have initial downgrade from 95,000 to 66,910, only to go down again to 50,000.

“To the tour operators, this is a great challenge because many of us have gone ahead based on the initial allocation of 66,910 to pay for accommodation and flight tickets, in preparation for the number.

“Now that it’s now been scaled down to 50,000, they have to cut down the number of slots given to each and every tour operator.

He expressed optimism that there would be a change now that the stakeholders have spoken at the forum. (NAN)

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