The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the cancellation of the traditional allocation of Hajj slots to states for the 2026 pilgrimage, introducing instead a first-come, first-served policy based on the payment of Hajj fares.

This development was contained in a statement issued on Monday, November 10, 2025, by Hajiya Fatima Sanda Usara, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at the Commission.

According to Hajiya Usara, under the new arrangement, states will now secure Hajj slots only upon the remittance of pilgrims’ fares, a measure designed to comply with Saudi Arabia’s stringent operational deadlines.

She explained that states that complete payments early will be allocated slots in proportion to the number of fully registered pilgrims, while those that delay risk forfeiting their chances — regardless of any previous allocations.

Reacting to the policy shift, the Chairman of the Forum of States’ Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Alhaji Idris Almakura, urged state officials currently on assignment in Saudi Arabia to expedite their activities and return to Nigeria for immediate mobilization and registration.

Almakura stressed that timely payment has become critical to ensuring Nigeria utilizes its full quota for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

NAHCON also reminded states and intending pilgrims that the deadline for full remittance of Hajj fares is December 5, 2026, warning that failure to meet the deadline could jeopardize Nigeria’s overall participation in the pilgrimage.