By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has announced a downward review of the 2026 Hajj fares for intending pilgrims from the country showing significant reductions across different zones.

This was even as the commission added that previous slots allocation to states no longer stands, saying “it is now a matter of states that remit their Hajj fares earlier will secure slots for their registered number of pilgrims based on first-come-first-served.”

The decision for downward review of the Hajj fares, according to a statement signed by the NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, on behalf of the Chairman/CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, was reached after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and the necessary approval from the appropriate authorities.

Details of the review show that intending pilgrims from the Maiduguri/Yola Zone, which were previously asked to pay
N8,118,033.67, will now pay N7,579,020.96

Similarly, those from other parts of the
Northern Zone will now pay N7,696,769.76 instead of N8,244,813.67 charged in 2025.

Also, intending pilgrims from the Southern Zone are to pay N7,991,141.76 against the previous year’s N8,561,013.67 fare.

According to the NAHCON, “the revised fares were computed based on an exchange rate of N1,443 per US Dollar.

“Consequently, intending pilgrims from the respective zones will enjoy reductions of N539,013, N548,043.91, and N569,871.91 respectively.”

It, however, advised the intending pilgrims to complete their Hajj fares remittances by December 5, 2025 due to
time constraints and payment framework by the authorities of Saudi Arabia.

“This is to accommodate all transfers to NAHCON’s IBAN account before Saudi Arabia’s deadline. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set 21st December as deadline for transferring of all funds for basic services contract and has vowed not to extend the date,” the statement stressed.

It also revealed that “transfers into IBAN accounts take between 10 days to two weeks before being credited which may be impossible to beat without the deadline shifted earlier, which is the 5th of December.”

In his submission at the meeting between NAHCON and states held on Monday in Abuja, the Chairman Forum of States, Alhaji Idris Al-Makura called on his members to conclude their assignments in Saudi Arabia on time and return to Nigeria immediately to mobilize for Hajj registration, considering the seriousness of the time condition given to the country to fill its quota for the 2026 holy pilgrimage.

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, MMWG, has called on the United States of America “not to rely on the biased, unverifiable and false report against Nigeria on the socalled persecution or killing of Christians in Nigeria.“

The group, established in 2006 with the aim of promoting objective peace, unity and tranquility in Nigeria and all over the world; stated that “there is no iota of truth in that report which spread to America by the enemies of Nigeria and United States of America.“

In a statement signed and released on Friday by the National Coordinator of the group, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, it
added that the issue of sanctioning of promoters of false accusations is one of its cardinal objectives – while strengthening of inter-religious unity through lectures and dialogues remains its focus.

MMWG maintained that insecurity trajectory in Nigeria that has featured among others – terrorism, kidnapping, arson, and wanton killings of innocent people were criminalities that are being tackled by the Nigeria’s security forces under the former and current administration in the country.

“In all these criminalities, none ever targeted any religious group – rather people of various religious persuasions are being affected of which reliable data confirmed that Muslims are deeply affected than the Christians in Nigeria as the centre of insecurity remains the Northern parts of Nigeria…

“The nation would have witnessed more terrible carnages than recorded so far if separatist group known – Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB was not banned some years ago by the Federal Government of Nigeria,” it explained.

The group, therefore, condemned the false report claimed to have emanated from Nnamdi Kanu that Igbo people and Christians were being killed in the country..

It maintained that while the report of Igbo people being killed in the past was true, those responsible for the insecurity and killings were the members of IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN who targeted anybody that came out for their lawful businesses were being gunned down by separatists armed groups on sit-at-home days unlawfully declared by them.

MMWG added that the efforts of the Federal Government in sustaining the ban and the use of the military to stop that recklessness is what has returned peace to the Eastern parts of the country till today.

The group, therefore, called on President Trump not to rely on that false report upon which he based his declaration of Nigeria as country of particular concern, CPC, rather he should work on officially documented reports of its Embassy in Nigeria which diplomatic reports would surely credit the effort of Federal Government in maintaining law and order across Nigeria.

It pointed out that under the present administration, the wife of the President is not just a Christian, but a Pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG with Chief of Defence Staff, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service, the Director of the State Security and the Inspector-General of Police – all being Christians, adding that “this governmental structure ought to convince Trump that those accusing Tinubu’s administration of committing or supporting any Christian genocide are shameless liars and unpatriotic elements who cannot justify any of their assertions.”

On the killings in Plateau and Benue States; the group maintained that it was errornous to label it as Christian persecution “as it is farmers-herders conflicts of over 30 years that have been responsible for that, which the Federal Government has never relented its efforts in tackling.”

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

A faith-based Civil Society Organisation, CSO that reports and advocates workable policies in the Hajj and Umrah industry, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has appealed to the 36 state governors to provide loan facilities for their State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, SMPWBs to assist in making payments for the 2026 Hajj.

This, according to the IHR, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, would enable the states to meet up with the December registration deadline for next year’s holy pilgrimage by Nigerian intending pilgrims.

The group maintained that the “save 2026 Hajj appeal” becomes necessary in view of a shortage of time.

“The 2026 Hajj calendar mandates every country to conclude its 2026 Hajj registration by December, with strict directives that no extension will be granted whatsoever.

“This will make it very difficult for intending pilgrims from Nigeria to make full payments ahead of the deadline,” IHR stated.

It also pointed out that “the tight timeline will inhibit both the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON and the SMPWBs from making proper pre-Hajj arrangements unless funds are made available in the form of loans, which will be refunded when their pilgrims make payments.”

According to the statement, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has already approved an advancement of N3.4 billion to the state pilgrims board to enable it to make adequate arrangements for pilgrims from the state.

The governor made a similar advancement to the board for Hajj 2025, a gesture the group finds worthy of emulation.

IHR noted that the time-consuming Hajj registration model that allows states to register and later transfer funds to NAHCON before being transferred to Saudi Service providers does not fit into the current fast-paced pace first-come, first-served system adopted by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

“Nigeria, as the fifth largest Hajj contingent in the world and the biggest Hajj country in Africa, has been facing challenges of managing Hajj calendars effectively, resulting in pleading for extension in airlift, visa processing – an embarrassing situation that is avoidable.

“We, therefore, appeal to the state governors to rescue the 2026 Hajj preparation by heeding this request on behalf of Nigerian pilgrims,” the group stated.