The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says Saudi Arabia authorities will take over the feeding and accommodation of hajj pilgrims in Makkah and Medina from 2025.
In a statement on Friday, Fatima Usara, NAHCON’s spokesperson, said the agreement was reached during a virtual meeting between the commission and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MoHU).
Usara also noted that the commission held a preparatory meeting with the Executive Secretaries (ES) of the State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards (MPWB), chaired by Anofi Elegushi, NAHCON commissioner of operations, on September 23.
Usara quoted Elegushi as saying that Saudi Companies of Pilgrims’ Establishments, known as mu’assasa, would oversee the feeding and accommodation of pilgrims in Makkah and Medina from 2025, under the supervision of MoHU.
This policy, which will affect all countries participating in Hajj, will commence with the 2025 pilgrimage,” he said.
He further added that MoHU had first proposed taking over feeding in Masha’ir in 2022 and implemented the change that same year.
Elegushi reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to aligning with the Saudi hajj calendar and called for cooperation from all stakeholders involved in the pilgrimage.
Idris Almakura, chairperson of the Forum of States (FoS), praised NAHCON for its ongoing efforts and urged the commission to maintain its current momentum.
Almakura raised several concerns, including the hajj savings scheme, the policy for the national medical team, and the pending refunds for pilgrims.
In response, Elegushi commended the executive secretaries for their proactive approach in announcing the minimum hajj deposits and advised them to collect letters regarding slot allocations and the 2025 Hajj licence.
He said the commission is awaiting action from Saudi authorities before processing unresolved refunds from the 2024 Hajj.
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