The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has secured additional slots for the 2027 Hajj following renewed diplomatic engagements with the Saudi authorities.
A source within the Commission told Hajj Gazette that the breakthrough followed sustained interventions by the Federal Government and high-level diplomatic engagements aimed at reversing Saudi Arabia’s earlier decision to maintain Nigeria’s 2027 allocation at 50,000 pilgrims.
Read also: Hajj 2027: NCAA, Airlines, NAHCON Tackle Airlift Challenges
The development comes about two weeks after Saudi Arabia formally declined Nigeria’s request for an increase in its 2027 Hajj quota, citing capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and its policy of maintaining approved country allocations.
Under the allocation publicly announced by NAHCON at the time, Nigeria was assigned 35,000 slots for government pilgrims and 15,000 for licensed private tour operators, bringing the total to 50,000.
However, according to the source, subsequent diplomatic engagements involving the Presidency, the Office of the Vice President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and NAHCON yielded a breakthrough, with Saudi authorities agreeing to make additional slots available to Nigeria.
The source said the engagements were pursued through bilateral diplomatic channels, with the Nigerian side making a case for additional capacity in view of the high demand for Hajj slots among intending pilgrims and appeals from state pilgrims’ welfare boards.
Read also: NDPC Champions Innovation at ITW Africa 2026
The source described the development as the outcome of coordinated efforts between the Federal Government and NAHCON, adding that the additional allocation would provide room for more Nigerian Muslims to participate in the 2027 pilgrimage.
the Commission’s earlier announcement that Saudi Arabia had rejected Nigeria’s request for additional slots and its subsequent directive to states, the FCT and licensed operators to work within the approved allocation.
NAHCON had also warned stakeholders that the deadline for uploading prospective pilgrims’ data to the Saudi Nusuk-Masar platform was September 26, 2026, with no extension expected.
The source said details of the additional allocation, including the number of slots secured and how they will be distributed, would be communicated through the appropriate official channels.
The latest development is expected to ease some of the pressure created by the limited allocation and the large number of Nigerians seeking to undertake the 2027 Hajj.
Read also: Kano: Group Raises Alarm Over Emir’s Alleged Rally
It also highlights the importance of diplomatic coordination between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia in managing the country’s annual Hajj operations, particularly as the Kingdom continues to enforce tighter capacity and operational requirements for participating.
Hajj Gazette