By Tajudeen Balogun
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has successfully airlifted 36,359 Nigerian pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This was contained in a press release signed by the NAHCON’s Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Fatima Sanda Usara.
Usara, on behalf of the NAHCON’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Prof Abdullahi Saleh Usman, confirmed that as of Thursday, May 22, 2025, a total of 5,494 pilgrims from the government quota are those awaiting airlift.
She revealed that Air Peace is projected to conclude its final Hajj flight on Saturday, May 24, having secured a slot for that date, adding that UMZA Aviation is expected to complete its operations from Kaduna on the same day, with only three flights remaining so far.
The release reads in part: “Max Air will round off its airlift operations on May 25. The extension is due to an increase in the number of pilgrims that continued to register in some of the states assigned to the airline after formal allocation.
“In a special arrangement, FlyNas will conclude its operations on May 30. The final FlyNas flight will depart with a full complement of pilgrims, including the Governor of Kebbi State.
“Hence, the Commission will conduct mop-up flights on 24th in Kaduna by Umza, Abuja by Air Peace, and Max Air in Kano. Max Air’s final flight will take off from Katsina on 25th May”.
On Nusuk card, NAHCON has reassured the few pilgrims yet to receive their cards to remain calm as they will receive the cards soonest.
Usara explained that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which oversees its issuance in partnership with designated service providers, has directed immediate resolution of all outstanding issues, adding that NAHCON is monitoring the process closely to ensure compliance and timely distribution.
It would be recalled that on the 23rd of April, the Commission announced that its VIP service providers, the Rawaf Mina, secured 2,800 bed spaces in Tent A + facility, affirming that as the only VIP location secured this year, distribution to interested parties had continued following the announcement.
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Meanwhile, NAHCON Chairman, has expressed gratitude to Allah, for the successes achieved so far and praying for seamless divine support throughout the Hajj season.
Similarly, Prof. Usman thanked the Commission’s numerous stakeholders that contributed in achieving the outstanding feat, praising the intending pilgrims for their patience and civil conduct so far.
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