The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has urged all approved Hajj carriers for the 2026 airlift, in collaboration with State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, to issue flight tickets to pilgrims ahead of their departure for the pilgrimage.
This call was made by the Commission’s Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Fatima Sanda Usara, in a statement issued to journalists after a meeting with State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and 2026 Hajj air carriers at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
NAHCON explained that the early issuance of flight tickets is crucial to ensuring that every pilgrim is well informed of their exact travel schedule—date, time and point of departure. The initiative aims to drastically reduce cases of incorrect pre-arrival data transmitted to Saudi authorities, which often disrupt Nusuk card distribution and other logistics.
The Commission further noted that beginning with the 2026 Hajj, pilgrims who miss their flights will face consequences, as each ticket will be digitally linked to the individual’s Nusuk Card, pre-positioned in their designated buses in Saudi Arabia.
“Additionally, NAHCON must upload pre-arrival data on the Nusuk Masar platform 72 hours before the departure of any aircraft conveying pilgrims,”
“The data include group numbers, names of group members, accommodation details, building assigned and bed-space number. Any pilgrim who fails to show up for the scheduled flight will be treated as a no-show and will bear the penalty, which may include payment for the unutilised seat,”The statement read.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced a boarding card to be issued to each pilgrim before departure. The card will include essential details such as the airline’s name and capacity, the pilgrim’s state of origin, number of pilgrims on board, departure airport and time, destination airport, arrival airport and expected arrival time.
The Ministry also emphasised that any pilgrim diagnosed with any of nine disqualifying medical conditions will not be permitted to travel. These include major organ failure heart, liver, kidney or lungs cancer patients undergoing active treatment, severe psychiatric or neurological disorders, senility associated with dementia, high-risk pregnancies at any stage and active infectious diseases.
In a related development, airline allocations for the 2026 Hajj have been communicated to State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, with a recommendation that states liaise with one another where necessary. NAHCON noted that the allocation remains subject to technical and infrastructural reviews. The approved carriers for the 2026 Hajj are Air Peace, Flynas, Max Air and Umza Air.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, called for stronger cooperation between State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, airlines and the Commission, stressing that the overall success of the Hajj operation depends on collective effort