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Nigeria Faces Hajj Accommodation Crisis: NAHCON Under Fire
Nigeria is currently grappling with an accommodation crisis in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the 2025 Hajj, due to the failure to upload housing details for pilgrims under the state quota onto the Saudi electronic Nusuk platform. As a result, officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and various State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards (SMPWB) are urgently seeking alternative accommodations, having lost their premium reservations to other countries.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Reports indicate that several states, particularly from the Northwest, Northeast, North-central, and South, have been displaced from high-quality hotels they had previously secured for years. Accommodation is a critical requirement for obtaining a Hajj visa via the Nusuk platform.
Fortunately, Saudi authorities extended the accommodation deadline by ten days, from March 25 to April 4, allowing Nigerian officials to secure new lodging and update the platform. Failure to meet this deadline could result in pilgrims from affected states being unable to obtain visas and subsequently missing the 2025 Hajj.
The crisis has sparked allegations of mismanagement against NAHCON, with stakeholders blaming the commission for failing to make advance payments after initially advertising and shortlisting accommodation providers. Consequently, other countries took over the previously booked spaces. States were reportedly unaware of losing their accommodations until the deadline approached.
To meet the new deadline, states are now hurriedly securing any available accommodations, regardless of quality or price, often from non-accredited service providers. The focus has shifted from quality to mere availability, as not securing lodging would mean missing the Hajj entirely.
Additionally, NAHCON introduced new housing providers not previously accredited, setting a uniform benchmark of SR3,000 per pilgrim bed space. This decision has drawn criticism, as accommodation prices vary based on proximity to the Holy Mosque and service quality. In desperation, some states have resorted to booking cheaper accommodations to avoid being left out.
Insiders allege that some NAHCON officials are exploiting the crisis for personal gain, taking advantage of state officials’ desperation. This situation has raised fears that pilgrims might protest upon arrival in Makkah, especially if they find the accommodations substandard.
Furthermore, there are questions about NAHCON Chairman Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman’s decision to pay two Masha’ir service providers for a higher number of pilgrims than the official quota. Critics are also questioning the presence of 50 staff members accompanying the chairman to Saudi Arabia, despite having no clear role in resolving the crisis.
In response, Professor Usman dismissed concerns of an impending crisis, emphasizing that preparations for the 2025 Hajj are in place and urging cooperation from all stakeholders. He noted that ongoing engagements with key players aim to ensure smooth operations.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says the state has mapped out 22,435 hectares of degraded land for restoration under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project using modern geospatial mapping technology.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He said the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen climate resilience, tackle environmental degradation, and promote sustainable land use in the state.
Speaking at the ACReSAL mid-term review meeting in Kaduna through the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abubakar Buba, the governor explained that the use of geospatial tools has made it possible to accurately identify affected areas for targeted intervention.
He added that the project is not only focused on land recovery but also on boosting agricultural output and improving livelihoods in affected communities.
Sani also noted that the state is supporting the programme with empowerment initiatives, including training over 500 women, youths, and school feeding vendors in biomass briquette production.
According to him, the effort is already helping to reduce dependence on firewood while creating alternative sources of income for beneficiaries.
President Tinubu has given full backing for the implementation of the ₦68.32 trillion 2026 budget after signing the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly into law.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He also approved an amendment extending the lifespan of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2026, to ensure completion of ongoing capital projects nationwide.
Under the 2026 fiscal plan, ₦4.799 trillion is set aside for statutory transfers, ₦15.8 trillion for debt servicing, ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent spending, while ₦32.2 trillion goes to capital projects—about half of the total budget.
The focus, according to the administration, is on infrastructure development, security, and growth-driven investments aimed at improving living standards.
Speaking on the development, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said the extension of the 2025 budget will help ensure full use of allocated funds, especially for major ongoing projects.
Tinubu directed all ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure transparency, discipline, and value-for-money in implementing the budget, while praising the National Assembly for its swift passage of the bill.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic reforms, revenue growth, job creation, and social welfare improvements.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has described moves to prosecute former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over alleged culpable homicide as an attempt to reopen the 2018 Offa robbery tragedy for political purposes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement on Friday, the party’s spokesperson, Olusegun Adewara, said the development is a disturbing and dangerous politicisation of a case they claim has already been addressed through judicial processes.
He warned against dragging the state into fresh tension, accusing the state government of attempting to revive old allegations for political advantage.
Adewara said the PDP would not remain silent while what he called “political narratives” are used to influence public perception around a tragic incident that claimed multiple lives in Offa in 2018.
He also urged residents, especially affected families, not to allow their pain to be used for political gains, insisting it is unjust to associate Saraki with the crime.
The party further alleged that the move is aimed at distracting attention from governance challenges in the state.
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