By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has reassured Nigerian pilgrims still in Saudi Arabia that measures are being put in place to fast-track their return journey home following delays caused by peak air traffic congestion.

In a statement released on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, NAHCON attributed the limited number of return flights to heavy demand for airport slots by various countries seeking to evacuate their pilgrims at the same time a common occurrence during the post-Hajj period.

“The Commission has planned to return all pilgrims by June 28, 2025, and remains determined to do so,” said Fatima Sanda Usara, Assistant Director of Information and Publication, who signed the statement on behalf of the NAHCON Chairman.

According to the Commission, the bottleneck is tied to the current slot allocations managed by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia. Nigeria, despite having a large number of pilgrims to airlift, has not been granted enough slots to facilitate a faster return.

In response, NAHCON, alongside the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and the designated 2025 air carriers, has initiated strategic engagements aimed at securing additional flight allocations.

Presently, FlyNas is the only airline operating two daily return flights, while discussions are ongoing to secure better flight schedules for other carriers such as UMZA Aviation, Air Peace, and Max Air.

“With the deployment of wide-bodied aircraft and an increase in available airport slots, we anticipate a significant boost in the number of daily return flights,” the Commission stated.

NAHCON also commended the patience and understanding of Nigerian pilgrims and their officials, assuring that all stakeholders are working round the clock to ensure a safe and timely return of pilgrims to Nigeria.