NAHCON to Begin 2025 Hajj Airlift on May 9, Assigns Over 43,000 Pilgrims to Designated Airlines, Sets July 2 as Final Return Date
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has finalized plans to commence the airlifting of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Hajj on May 9, with return flights expected to conclude by July 2, 2025.
This decision was announced following a strategic meeting held on Wednesday at the Hajj House in Abuja with Executive Secretaries of State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards under the Forum of States, alongside representatives of designated airlines. The meeting focused on assessing states’ readiness for the upcoming pilgrimage.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullah Saleh Usman, urged state boards to update the Commission on their progress regarding visa issuance, vaccination, procurement of travel bags, and other logistics. He noted that the Hajj industry has entered its final preparation phase.
In terms of airline allocation, the Commissioner for Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, disclosed the following breakdown:
- Air Peace will airlift 5,128 pilgrims from 19 states and the Armed Forces.
- FlyNas is responsible for 12,506 pilgrims from FCT, Lagos, Kebbi, and others, using nine aircraft.
- Max Air will transport 15,203 pilgrims from northern states, deploying a B747 (400 capacity) and another aircraft (560 capacity), with airlifts concluding by May 24.
- Umza Air will handle 10,163 pilgrims from five states using two aircraft: a B747 (477 capacity) and a B777 (310 capacity).
Overall, the 2025 Hajj airlift will cater to 43,000 Nigerian pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistics, Information & Library Services, Professor Abubakar Yagawal, confirmed preparations at clinics in Makkah and Madinah and the distribution of Yellow Cards to states. He also emphasized the exclusion of pregnant women from the pilgrimage.
Inbound flights are tentatively set to begin on June 13 and end by July 2.
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