ABUJA, Nigeria — The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has officially concluded the return airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia following the 2026 Hajj exercise, with the final flight carrying pilgrims from Zamfara State arriving in Nigeria on Tuesday.
The conclusion of the return journey marks the end of the 2026 Hajj operations, which involved transporting over 38,000 Nigerian pilgrims to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to NAHCON, approximately 38,052 pilgrims and officials were airlifted back to Nigeria through 97 return flights, with the final MaxAir flight VM2014 conveying 149 pilgrims and 28 officials from Zamfara State to Gusau.
In a statement issued by the commission, NAHCON spokesperson Hajia Fatima Usara confirmed that 12 Nigerian pilgrims are currently receiving treatment in various hospitals across Saudi Arabia for different health conditions. The commission stated that it is closely monitoring their situations and has made arrangements to facilitate their safe return to Nigeria as soon as they are discharged.
NAHCON Chairman, Ambassador Ismail Yusuf, expressed gratitude for the successful conduct of the 2026 Hajj exercise and commended President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their support towards the operation’s success. The chairman also appreciated the contributions of state pilgrims’ welfare boards, licensed tour operators, service providers, aviation partners, medical teams, security personnel, media organisations and the pilgrims themselves.
While acknowledging that some challenges were encountered during the exercise, the commission stated that valuable lessons had been identified to improve future operations. Meanwhile, NAHCON has formally commenced preparations for the 1448H/2027 Hajj season, issuing a directive to state pilgrims’ welfare boards, agencies and licensed private tour operators to immediately begin preparatory activities in compliance with guidelines from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
