National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has explained the reason behind its decision to re-engaged the four airlines and two cargo companies it engaged for the 2025 Hajj to serve Nigeria pilgrims again for the 2026 operations.

Three domestic airlines, Air Peace; Max Air and Umza Air Services were approved for airlifting Nigerian pilgrim for the 2025 Hajj alongside Saudi-based FlyNas, approved based on the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Two cargo companies, Cargo Zeal Technologies and Koala Investment were also approved to handling pilgrims’ cargoes this year.

Explaining the Hajj body’s decision to re-engage all of them for the 2026 Hajj operations, NAHCON Commissioner of Operations and Licensing, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, explained the commission realized that there was not much available for it to call for fresh application, screen, select and approve airlines for the next operations considering datelines set by Saudi authorities.

According to him, if NAHCON was to go through the whole selection process, it might not be able to submit the names of approved airlines to the Saudi’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) in time.

“If you look at last year, we did advert. That enables airline companies to apply for the 2025 Hajj operations. We screened numbers of airlines and they were shortlisted.

“Four airlines were approved. Two cargoes companies were also approved.

“So looking at the calendar of events drawn by the Saudi authorities, we realized we may not be able to go through all the process for this year.

“If we intend to go through the process, we may not be able to submit the names of airlines to GACA in time. It is very, very important that we do so. So we decided to do a kind of rollover,” Elegushi explained.

He informed that the commission had written to relevant authorities to inform them of its rollover decision, adding that NAHCIN would do an addendum to the existing contract with the airlines.

According to him, the decision was a proactive act aimed at fast tracking the process of airlines selection for the 2026 Hajj operations with a view to not lagging behind.

“Relevant authorities have been written to inform them of our intention to just rollover and just come up with an addendum to the existing contracts.

“That is what we intend to do to fast track the whole process. It’s an act of proactiveness so that we will not lag behind in the event of things with Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Elegushi further said the four airlines and two cargoes companies performed very well during the 2025 Hajj operations, submitting that NAHCON decided to leverage on their performances and experience for the 2026 operations.

According to him, “The four airlines we engaged last year performed very well. Based on their performance, we believe there is enough for us to ride on their experience and performance on the last Hajj operations.”

Meanwhile, as part of its preparations for the 2026 Hajj operations, NAHCON’s Aviation Screening Committee met on Tuesday at the Hajj House headquarters of the Commission in Abuja on Tuesday to screen the relevant documents, air worthiness and other prerequisites for the re-engaged airlines.

Technical Adviser (Media) to NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Ahmed Muazu informed Tribune Online that despite the fact that the airlines involved in the 2025 Hajj operation were rolled over for the next year’s operations, there was the need for the Commission to screen their documents, among others.

According to him, the rollover was not a blanket one, adding that the aviation committee had a clear mandate with which it was operating.

“You know even though they are to roll over but NAHCON must screen their documents and airlines for coherence, air worthiness and other prerequisites for the airlines. Tax clearance, among others. It is not just a blanket roll over,” Muazu said.

He added that, “The committee’s terms of reference includes: To determine suitability and capability of the applicants in line with extant rules.” (Nigerian Tribune)