The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has directed all approved air carriers for the 2026 Hajj to begin issuing flight tickets to pilgrims well ahead of their departure dates.
In a statement signed by Fatima Sanda Usara, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, on behalf of the NAHCON Chairman.
The statement explained that, the directive was issued on 4 December 2026 during a meeting between NAHCON, State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and representatives of the 2026 Hajj airlines at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to the Commission, the early issuance of tickets will ensure that every pilgrim has clear information on their exact travel schedule including date, time and departure location thereby reducing errors in pre-arrival data sent to Saudi authorities.
Incorrect information has in previous years disrupted Nusuk card distribution and other logistics.
NAHCON announced that, starting with the 2026 Hajj, missing a scheduled flight will attract serious penalties. Each pilgrim’s ticket will be digitally linked to their Nusuk card, which will be pre-positioned in designated buses in Saudi Arabia to transport pilgrims to their hotels.
Once visas are issued, pilgrims will no longer be allowed to change their travel groups. Each group, comprised of 45 pilgrims, will travel, lodge and return together under a designated group leader.
The Commission is also required to upload pilgrims’ pre-arrival data including group lists, accommodation details, building assignments and bed-space numbers to the Nusuk Masar platform 72 hours before departure.
Any pilgrim who fails to appear for the scheduled flight will be recorded as a “no-show” and may be required to pay for the unused seat. The same penalty applies to any defaulting party.
Additionally, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced a mandatory boarding card for all pilgrims. The card will contain detailed travel information such as airline name, aircraft capacity, state of origin, list of pilgrims on board, departure and arrival airports, and exact travel times.
During the briefing, NAHCON, through Dr. Danbaba Haruna, Special Assistant (General Matters) to the Chairman, confirmed that camp bookings and related services have been completed.
He warned, however, that any discrepancies between accommodation bookings and actual remittances could lead to forfeiture of slots, as Saudi authorities would return excess funds. State Pilgrims’ Boards were therefore urged to remit Hajj fares promptly.
NAHCON also emphasized strict compliance with Saudi Arabia’s new medical fitness standards. Any pilgrim found with any of the nine disqualifying conditions including major organ failure, active cancer treatment, severe psychiatric or neurological disorders, dementia, high-risk pregnancy and infectious diseases will not be allowed to travel and will bear the cost of deportation if they attempt to do so.
State boards have been instructed to work exclusively with certified hospitals for medical screening.
In a related development, NAHCON has communicated airline allocations for states for the 2026 Hajj, with advice for inter-state coordination. The approved carriers for 2026 are Air Peace, Flynas, Max Air and Umza Air.
The allocations, however, remain subject to change pending technical and infrastructural review.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, called for continued cooperation among state boards, airlines and the Commission, noting that “NAHCON’s success is everyone’s success.”