‘Late registration may disrupt Hajj plans’ — group urges states to hasten process

The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has urged state governors to prioritise preparations for the 2025 Hajj. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Ibrahim Muhammed, IHR spokesperson, criticised the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards in some states for delaying the registration process despite directives from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in August.

“As of the time of issuing this statement, Niger, Sokoto, and Borno States are yet to kick off the registration exercise, despite receiving clear instructions from NAHCON,” he said.

Muhammed noted that some executive secretaries have yet to submit the 2024 Hajj reports to their governors, delaying approval for registration.

This delay, he said, affects the remittance of the first tranche of pilgrims’ deposits to NAHCON, which was due to begin on October 2 under the 2025 Hajj calendar.

He criticised the need for state boards to seek approval from governors, even after NAHCON’s directive for Hajj preparations.

“This is a peculiar federating procedural headache for the Hajj industry that requires immediate solutions,” he added.

He warned that delays in registration could impact services for Nigerian pilgrims, especially regarding tent space allocation in Mina, which began on 23rd October for countries that made payments.

“It is crucial that any Executive Secretary of a State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board who has not submitted their 2024 Hajj report four months after the Hajj should be removed and replaced with someone more competent,” Muhammed said.

He linked poor services for Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to late registrations while urging governors to act.

“Late registration leads to late remittances to NAHCON, which hinders timely payments to Saudi-based service providers. This affects their ability to make adequate preparations, ultimately compromising the services provided to our pilgrims,” he said.

Muhammed also called for a review of the NAHCON Establishment Act 2006 to allow pilgrims to begin registration without waiting for governors’ approval.

“Hajj is a global affair involving over 162 countries, all of which are expected to implement a uniform calendar issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj. The ongoing delays disrupt this process and need to be urgently addressed,” he added.