Lagos Pledges Early Remittance of 2026 Hajj Fares to Meet Saudi Deadline

The Lagos State Government has given a firm assurance to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) regarding the early remittance of fares for the 2026 Hajj exercise. This commitment is crucial for ensuring the state beats the strict deadline of December 5, 2025, set by the Saudi Arabian authorities for all payments. The assurance was delivered by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, during a courtesy visit by NAHCON officials, led by the National Commissioner South West, Dr. Tajudeen Oladejo Abefe, underscoring Lagos State’s determination to facilitate a seamless spiritual journey for its intending pilgrims.

The visit by the NAHCON delegation was specifically aimed at discussing the urgency of the Hajj fare remittance deadline. Dr. Abefe emphasized that the Saudi authorities are strictly enforcing the December 5, 2025, cutoff date for payments to reflect in their International Bank Account Number (IBAN), warning that the previous possibility of deadline extensions for Nigeria is no longer applicable. Consequently, NAHCON has set an internal deadline of December 3, 2025, for all payments to reach them for onward transmission. Any money remitted after this date, he warned, would not be considered for the 2026 exercise due to the non-negotiable Saudi timeline.

​Hon. Layode confirmed that the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has stepped up efforts to secure more patronage, aiming to surpass the current 1,500 slots allocated to Lagos by NAHCON. This intensified drive is bolstered by the directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the reduction of the Hajj fare, which has seen the cost drop from N8,784,085.59k to N7,991,141.76k, saving each pilgrim N792,943.83k. The Commissioner assured the delegation that with the support of the Governor and Deputy Governor, the state will remit the necessary funds before the internal deadline to ensure their pilgrims' participation.

​The meeting also addressed an outstanding issue regarding the 93 intending pilgrims who were denied visas during the 2025 Hajj exercise. Hon. Layode informed the NAHCON officials that the money paid on behalf of these pilgrims has not been refunded. He confirmed that the State has formally written a letter of intention to retain these slots for the upcoming 2026 exercise and urged the Commission’s assistance in facilitating this transfer of registration. This move aims to secure the place of the affected pilgrims without further delay.

However, a point of concern was raised by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters, Dr. Ahmad Abdullahi Jebe, who urged NAHCON to be specific and consistent regarding the deadline dates. He expressed concern that the practice of setting different, sometimes ambiguous, deadlines has previously created inconveniences for both intending pilgrims and stakeholders. Despite this administrative challenge, the overall tone of the meeting was positive, with Dr. Abefe extending appreciation to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat for their continued commitment and interventions toward the success of the Hajj exercise.