NAHCON hands private operators 30% of 2027 Hajj, opens training for tour firms

Private tour operators will handle 30 per cent of Nigeria's Hajj operations in 2027, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said, as it began training licensed operators for the bigger role.

The commission said it secured a three-year, step-by-step handover arrangement with Saudi authorities. Private-sector participation starts at 30 per cent in 2027, giving Nigeria time to tighten its rules and get operators ready.

The training, a Professional Certificate Programme in Hajj and Umrah Operations and Pilgrim Service Management, runs for two days, Monday and Tuesday, October 26 and 27, 2026. It is being held in Kano and Lagos.

The Hajj Institute of Nigeria organised it with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON).

Why the shift matters

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reforms are pushing pilgrimage management towards a business-to-business model, where private firms take on more of the work of caring for pilgrims. NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the training would give operators the skills to cope with that change.

He stressed that pilgrims must come first, saying: “The welfare of pilgrims must remain above commercial considerations.”

For the ordinary Nigerian hoping to perform Hajj, the stakes are practical: who handles their travel, accommodation and feeding, and whether they get value for the money they pay. NAHCON said the programme covers professional ethics, running operations, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, settling disputes, pilgrim welfare and working with Saudi service providers.

The Rector of the Hajj Institute of Nigeria, Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, said operators need real expertise in governance, risk management and international service standards. He pointed to the institute's courses, including an MBA in Hajj Operations Management run with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management with the National Board for Technical Education.

The commission also confirmed that Nigeria's 2027 Hajj quota rose from 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims after Saudi Arabia approved an extra 10,000 slots on October 1.

NAHCON said it remains committed to certifying operators, digitising its processes and keeping close watch on the industry.

What happens next

Operators who pass through the programme are expected to be better prepared for the 2027 pilgrimage. How well the 30 per cent private arrangement works will be watched closely, since it is the first stage of a three-year plan.