By Jabiru Hassan
An independent faith-based civil society organisation, (IHR), has called on State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to roll over intending pilgrims who were not captured in the final list for the 2026 Hajj.
The appeal follows clarification by the (NAHCON) that there will be no additional Hajj slots for states or private tour operators beyond the approved allocation for the year.
In a statement, IHR stressed the need to clearly define the next steps for pilgrims who completed their payments and other requirements before the reduction in Nigeria’s 2026 Hajj quota but were unable to secure slots.
The organisation recommended that affected pilgrims be formally notified and automatically rolled over to the 2027 Hajj without being required to pay additional fare, even if the cost of the next pilgrimage increases.
IHR also advised NAHCON to constitute a committee to audit states’ 2026 Hajj registration databases in order to identify those left out and collaborate with state boards to implement a structured rollover arrangement.
According to the group, many of the affected pilgrims had fulfilled all necessary obligations before the slot reduction disrupted their plans to perform Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
IHR noted that adopting proactive measures would help prevent potential protests by affected pilgrims and create a streamlined process for the 2027 Hajj registration exercise.
