By FATIMA SANDA USARA

Top management of Nigeria’s Hajj industry Tuesday January 14, 2024, toured offices of service providers in Makkah and Jeddah to guide their decision in choosing the best options for Nigerian pilgrims going for the 2025 Hajj.

Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, along with his commissioners, selected board members, directors, and deputy directors.

State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards were represented at the visit by its Forum leadership Malam Idris Ahmed Almakura, Alhaji Faruku Yaro Enabo, and Alhaji Abubakar Salihu plus a selected number of State Executive members.

It will be recalled that Hajj industry delegation is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia as part of preparations for the 2025 Hajj.

The top level managers visited the Ithra al Juud/Ithra al Diyafah Holdings, Mashariqil Almasia and Mashariqil Zahabiyya for consultations.

The visits, aimed at selecting quality service providers for Nigerian pilgrims, involved discussions that will facilitate assessment of the companies’ catering management, accommodation management, and transportation arrangements.

Their usual arrangements for the Masha’ir (i.e Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah) were discussed. The delegation sought to know whether the service providers have any experience serving African countries in any capacity, particularly Nigerians.

Questions were also asked on standards, capacity, manpower especially under catering, how they plan to meet the culinary tastes of Nigerians taking into cognisance that the country is culturally diverse, how they plan to meet the needs of Nigerian pilgrims especially since majority may be experiencing an international trip for the first time.

During the inspection, the team sampled options offered by potential vendors, focusing on general hospitality and comfort, language barrier challenges, perennial inadequacy of toilet facilities in Mina, and overall comfort of pilgrims. Particular attention was given to arrangements that will ensure smooth movement of pilgrims between Makkah, Madinah, and other religious sites in comfortable buses.

Forum of State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards contributed immensely in the discussions expressing their desire for enhancement of the overall Hajj experience of Nigerian pilgrims. Before now, NAHCON had met with Executive Secretaries of the States’ Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards on 12th January where they resolved to work together in the best interest of the pilgrims. This joint tour is one of the offshoots of the resolution to support and work together.

Further assessments and consultations are expected to continue today, with the team promising to engage only providers ready to offer services to Nigerians at affordable prices without compromising contractual agreements.

•Sanda writes from NAHCON.