IHR Urges NAHCON to Set Up Hajj Calendar Committee, Begin Early Registration for 2027 Pilgrimage
A faith-based civil society organisation, the Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to establish a special Hajj calendar harmonisation committee and immediately commence early registration for the 2027 holy pilgrimage.
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, the group attributed the recurring operational challenges in Nigeria’s Hajj preparations to late pilgrim registration and delays in implementing pre-Hajj timelines.
Muhammad noted that Nigeria’s inability to align with the official Hajj calendar set by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has consistently resulted in setbacks in planning and execution.
“The fundamental operational challenges encountered yearly are largely due to late registration and the behind-schedule pre-Hajj timeline operated in Nigeria. This has affected our ability to comply with the Hajj calendar… thereby creating serious setbacks in the level of our preparations every year,” he said.
The IHR stressed the urgent need for NAHCON to constitute a harmonisation committee that would develop a comprehensive pre-Hajj timetable and enforce strict compliance among all stakeholders, including State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and private Hajj operators.
According to the organisation, the absence of a unified registration guideline has led to inconsistencies across states, with some continuing registration even after official deadlines, thereby jeopardising the chances of intending pilgrims.
It warned that the lack of coordination had resulted in situations where registered pilgrims’ data were not uploaded to the Saudi Hajj portal, effectively disqualifying them from participating in the pilgrimage.
The group advocated for a uniform nationwide registration schedule, where all states would begin and conclude registration within a clearly defined timeframe, in line with Saudi Arabia’s evolving Hajj policies, including the “first-come, first-served” model and strict contractual deadlines.
IHR further urged NAHCON to authorise the immediate commencement of registration for the 2027 Hajj, citing increasingly shorter timelines imposed by Saudi authorities in recent years.
“Early commencement of registration for the 2027 Hajj will make funds available to meet service providers’ contractual obligations, which have posed serious challenges to NAHCON recently,” the statement added.
Drawing comparisons with countries like Indonesia, which operates a three-year rolling Hajj plan, the organisation suggested that Nigeria adopt a similar forward-planning approach to enhance efficiency.
The group also reassured that early registration would not disrupt preparations for the 2026 Hajj, proposing that states establish dedicated committees to manage the process concurrently.
Additionally, IHR recommended using the 2026 Hajj fare as a benchmark for 2027 registration and called on financial institutions to intensify awareness campaigns on the Hajj savings scheme to enable intending pilgrims to plan effectively.
The call, if implemented, is expected to streamline Nigeria’s Hajj operations, improve compliance with international timelines, and reduce last-minute challenges that have long plagued the pilgrimage process.