By GARBA MUHAMMAD

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that private tour operators will handle 30 per cent of Nigeria’s Hajj operations in 2027 as part of a phased transition towards greater private sector participation in pilgrimage management.

NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, disclosed this on Monday while declaring open a two-day professional training programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators in Kano and Lagos.

Yusuf said the Commission had secured a three-year phased transition arrangement with Saudi Arabian authorities to prepare Nigerian operators for the emerging business-to-business (B2B) model under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms.

According to him, the arrangement will allow Nigeria to strengthen its regulatory framework and build the capacity of private operators before transferring greater responsibilities to the sector.

He explained that the changing global Hajj landscape requires Nigerian operators to embrace professionalism, operational efficiency and improved service delivery.

The NAHCON boss, however, warned operators against placing profit above the interests of pilgrims.

“The welfare of pilgrims must remain above commercial considerations,” he declared.

Yusuf reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to professional certification, digital transformation and stronger regulatory oversight to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims receive quality services.

The training, tagged “Professional Certificate Programme in Hajj/Umrah Operations and Pilgrim Service Management”, is organised by the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) in collaboration with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON).

Speaking at the event, HIN Rector, Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, said professional training had become indispensable to modern pilgrimage management.

He identified corporate governance, risk management, operational coordination and compliance with international service standards as critical requirements for successful Hajj operations.

Maiturare also highlighted the Institute’s academic programmes, including an MBA in Hajj Operations Management in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education.

The two-day programme, scheduled for October 26 and 27, covers professional ethics, operational management, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, conflict resolution, pilgrim welfare and engagement with Saudi service providers.

NAHCON said the initiative forms part of preparations for the 2027 Hajj and efforts to build a more professional, competitive and pilgrim-centred pilgrimage industry in Nigeria.

The development was contained in a statement issued by NAHCON’s Head of Information and Publications Division, Shafii Sani Mohammed.