The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has warned state governments against registering intending pilgrims with acute health conditions for the 2027 Hajj, following the introduction of stricter medical requirements by Saudi Arabia.
The commission said only pilgrims who meet the prescribed medical standards would be allowed to participate in next year’s pilgrimage.
The Commissioner representing the North-East in NAHCON, Alhaji Abba Jatau, disclosed this when he led a delegation of the commission to the Yobe State Government House in Damaturu.
Jatau urged the Yobe State Government and its pilgrims commission to ensure that intending pilgrims undergo the required medical checks before registration.
He said the new health requirements were part of measures by the Saudi authorities to safeguard pilgrims and protect Nigeria’s image in the Kingdom.
The commissioner also disclosed that states were expected to provide 1.5 doctors and 1.7 nurses for every 1,000 pilgrims, urging Yobe to comply with the requirement and make adequate medical preparations.
Jatau further warned that September 26, 2026, had been fixed as the deadline for uploading pilgrims’ information and passports for the 2027 Hajj.
He urged the state government to prioritise early registration, documentation and payment to ensure that its pilgrims were not left out.
He said visa issuance for the 2027 Hajj would commence on January 28, 2027.
On wider reforms to Hajj operations, Jatau said NAHCON had secured a three-year transition period for Nigeria to move from the traditional government-to-government arrangement to a business-to-business model.
He said the transition would begin with the 2027 Hajj following negotiations between Nigerian authorities and the Saudi Arabian government, which had initially proposed an immediate migration to the new system.
According to him, Saudi Arabia had introduced ‘radical reforms’ aimed at transferring several aspects of Hajj management from government institutions to business operators.
He said the Saudi authorities were seeking about 98 per cent migration from government-to-government to business-to-business operations.
Jatau said NAHCON resisted the immediate implementation of the new arrangement because of the peculiar challenges facing Nigerian pilgrims and engaged the Saudi authorities to secure enough time for Nigeria to adjust.
He said Yobe had been proposed as a pilot state for the new arrangement, expressing confidence that the state could successfully demonstrate the model before its wider adoption.
The commissioner appealed to the state government to direct the Yobe State Pilgrims Commission to give priority to registration, documentation and payment ahead of the September deadline.
Responding, Deputy Governor Idi Barde Gubana said Yobe was the first state in the Maiduguri Hajj zone to complete the airlift of its pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj.
Gubana attributed the achievement to the commitment of the state government, the Yobe State Pilgrims Commission, religious leaders, officials and other stakeholders to the welfare and orderly conduct of pilgrims.
He assured the NAHCON delegation of the state government’s continued support for the commission and its commitment to strengthening the operations and institutional capacity of the Yobe State Pilgrims Commission.