Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards across Nigerian states and licensed tour operators have appealed to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to review the reduction of Nigeria’s Hajj quota for the 2026 pilgrimage.
The stakeholders called for the restoration of the 66,910 slots allocated to Nigeria during the 2025 Hajj, instead of the newly reduced 50,000 slots approved for 2026. They made the appeal on Thursday during a meeting with a Saudi Arabian advance delegation led by Prof. Ghassan Al-Nuaimi, ahead of the official visit of the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabbiah, scheduled for Feb. 3.
Chairman of the Yobe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Aliyu Usman, said the reduction would deny many Nigerians the opportunity to perform the pilgrimage.
Similarly, Ustaz Khidir Usaefat, Managing Director and CEO of Ar-rahama for Hajj and Umrah, described the new allocation as grossly inadequate. He noted that tour operators were now limited to about 69 pilgrims per company, compared to 150 pilgrims in the previous year, adding that many operators had already committed funds for additional pilgrims.
Usaefat warned that the reduced quota could push several tour operators into financial difficulties and debt, urging the Saudi authorities to reconsider the decision.
Also speaking, Musodiq Oladepo, Managing Director and CEO of KOB Travels and Tours Ltd, lamented what he described as a steady downgrade of Nigeria’s Hajj quota, from an initial 95,000 to 66,910, and now to 50,000.
He explained that many operators had already paid for accommodation and flight tickets based on the earlier allocation, making the sudden reduction a major challenge for the industry.
Despite the concerns, Oladepo expressed optimism that the situation could change following the engagement with Saudi officials.