NAHCON trains hajj operators ahead of 2027 pilgrimage
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has commenced a two-day professional training programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators to strengthen regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and pilgrim welfare ahead of the 2027 Hajj.
NAHCON disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Shafii Sani Mohammed, Head of its Information and Publications Division.
The Professional Certificate Programme in Hajj/Umrah Operations and Pilgrim Service Management is holding from Oct. 26 to Oct. 27, 2026, in Kano and Lagos.
The programme 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, Amb. Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the initiative was designed to prepare Nigerian operators for emerging changes in the global Hajj industry.
He attributed the changes to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms and the introduction of a business-to-business (B2B) model aimed at transferring greater responsibility for Hajj operations to the private sector.
Yusuf disclosed that NAHCON had secured a three-year phased transition arrangement with Saudi authorities, beginning with 30 per cent private-sector participation in 2027.
He said the arrangement would provide Nigeria with time to strengthen its regulatory framework and equip operators with the capacity to assume greater responsibilities.
The chairman urged operators to maintain high professional standards, stressing that “the welfare of pilgrims must remain above commercial considerations.”
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to professional certification, digital transformation and effective regulatory oversight to improve service delivery.
In his remarks, HIN Rector, Prof. Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, described professional training as essential to modern pilgrimage management.
Maiturare highlighted the need for expertise in corporate governance, risk management, operational coordination and international service standards to improve the quality of services provided to pilgrims.
He also outlined the institute’s academic initiatives, including a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme in Hajj Operations Management, in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management, in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education.
The training programme features sessions on professional ethics, integrated operations management, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, conflict resolution, pilgrim welfare and collaboration with Saudi service providers.
NAHCON said the initiative was expected to enhance operators’ preparedness for the 2027 Hajj and support efforts to develop a professional, competitive and pilgrim-centred Hajj and Umrah industry in Nigeria.
