The Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Ismail Abba, has reiterated the commission’s resolve to improve efficiency in the delivery of pilgrims’ services by aligning its operations with its service provider company to prevent the challenges experienced during the 2025 Hajj.
He made this known in Abuja during a strategic meeting with officials of Mashariq Aldhahabiya, led by its Board Chairman, Mr Mohammed Andangiri.
The Saudi-based firm oversees services provided to Nigerian pilgrims under the government quota in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the commission, Abba said, “lessons had been learnt from the challenges recorded in the previous exercise, including data mismatches between flight manifests, contract numbers and accommodation allocations, which disrupted the smooth processing of pilgrims”.
Both parties agreed to prioritise strict visa processing timelines, accurate data uploads and verification of accommodation contracts before departure.
NAHCON said it will also intensify compliance checks at departure centres to ensure that flight manifests and building allocations correspond with approved records.
It was further agreed that a joint Situation Room would be established to provide real-time updates and swiftly address operational issues.
The engagement, according to the commission, forms part of NAHCON’s broader strategy to ensure a smooth Hajj operation for Nigerian pilgrims.
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