By
Jamilu Abubakar
The Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Malam Sa’adu Hassan, says Saudi Arabia’s new policy requiring about 98 per cent of Nigeria’s 2027 Hajj allocation to be handled by private operators poses a major threat to the country’s traditional government-led pilgrimage system.
Hassan disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of a board meeting convened to review emerging issues affecting preparations for the 2027 Hajj operation.
He said the directive, communicated to the Nigerian government through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), represents a major challenge to the country’s existing Hajj arrangement.
According to him, Nigerian pilgrims have traditionally depended on government-supervised structures to organise their pilgrimage, making the proposed shift to private operators a significant change.
He said the development could raise concerns among intending pilgrims, many of whom are more comfortable dealing with government agencies because of the level of supervision and protection they provide.
Hassan said Nigerian authorities had begun assessing the implications of the policy and were seeking diplomatic intervention to prevent an abrupt transition.
He disclosed that NAHCON had approached the Minister of Foreign Affairs to use diplomatic channels to engage the Saudi authorities on a phased transition of between one and three years.
He said the proposed transition period would give the Federal Government, Hajj authorities and intending pilgrims enough time to adjust to the new system and establish structures for effective coordination.
The Gombe official stressed that the policy was initiated by the Saudi Arabian authorities and was not a decision of the Nigerian government.
He explained that Saudi Arabia was increasingly moving towards treating Hajj as a Business-to-Business (B2B) arrangement rather than a government-to-business model.
Hassan said NAHCON had consequently directed all states to commence preparations early to minimise disruptions as Nigeria gradually adjusts to the evolving Hajj framework.
He expressed hope that diplomatic engagements would produce a workable transition that would protect the interests of Nigerian pilgrims and ensure a smooth 2027 Hajj operation.
