2027 Hajj: NAHCON trains licensed tour operators

Spread the word The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has commenced a two-day professional training programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators in Kano and Lagos to strengthen regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and pilgrim service delivery ahead of the 2027 Hajj.

In a press statement yesterday signed by Shafii Sani Mohammed, Head of the Information and Publications Division, NAHCON said; the programme, which runs from October 26 to 27, 2026, is organised by the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) in collaboration with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON).

Declaring the programme open, NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the initiative would prepare Nigerian operators for changes in the global Hajj industry arising from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms and the emerging business-to-business (B2B) model, which seeks to shift greater responsibility for Hajj operations to the private sector.

He disclosed that the Commission had secured a three-year phased transition arrangement with Saudi authorities, beginning with 30 per cent private-sector participation in 2027. The arrangement, he said, would provide time to strengthen Nigeria’s regulatory framework and prepare operators for their expanding responsibilities.

Ambassador Yusuf urged tour operators to maintain high professional standards, stressing that the welfare of pilgrims must take precedence over commercial interests. He also reaffirmed NAHCON’s commitment to professional certification, digital transformation and effective regulatory oversight.

The Rector of HIN, Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, described professional training as essential to modern pilgrimage management, noting that operators needed expertise in corporate governance, risk management, operational coordination and international service standards.

He highlighted the institute’s academic programmes, including an MBA in Hajj Operations Management in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management developed in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education.

The training features sessions on professional ethics, integrated operations management, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, conflict resolution, pilgrim welfare and collaboration with Saudi service providers.

The initiative is expected to improve operators’ preparedness for the 2027 Hajj and support NAHCON’s efforts to develop a professional, competitive and pilgrim-centred Hajj and Umrah industry in Nigeria.