The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced the approval of four airlines to transport Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. This decision was disclosed in a statement by the commission’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Mrs. Fatima Usara, on Sunday in Abuja.
The approved airlines—Air Peace Limited, Fly-Nas (a Saudi-based airline), Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Limited—were selected from 11 companies that applied for the role. The selection process was overseen by a 32-member Aviation Screening Committee inaugurated on November 26, 2024, by NAHCON’s Executive Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman.
The committee included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and other key stakeholders such as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB). Additional members were drawn from the Nigerian Customs Service, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and NAHCON’s board, including heads of aviation, procurement, legal, and internal audit departments.
In addition to the approved passenger airlines, three excess cargo carriers—Aglow Aviation Support Services Limited, Cargozeal Technology Limited, and Qualla Investment Limited—were also selected to support the Hajj operations.
Professor Usman congratulated the selected companies and urged them to uphold their commitments made during the screening process. He emphasized the importance of seamless service delivery to ensure the comfort and safety of Nigerian pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia during a ceremony held in Jeddah. Representing Nigeria, Prof. Usman was accompanied by Senator Abubakar Bello (Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs), Hon. Jafaru Ali (Chairman, House Committee on Muslim Pilgrimage), Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Riyadh, Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo, Consul General in Jeddah, Ambassador Mu’azzam Nayaya, and Ambassador Mahmud Lele of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Saudi delegation was led by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat. The MoU formalizes this year’s Hajj engagements and sets the stage for effective collaboration between both nations to ensure a successful pilgrimage for Nigerian Muslims.