ABUJA — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has turned down a formal request by the Federal Government of Nigeria for an upward review of the nation’s allocation for the 2027 Hajj exercise.
The decision was communicated during an official bilateral planning meeting between Saudi officials and a delegation from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Saudi authorities explained that the decision to maintain Nigeria’s existing baseline quota—fixed at 95,000 slots—stems from ongoing structural expansion projects, space constraints at the holy sites of Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, and a strict global quota allocation framework applied to all participating Muslim-majority nations based on census figures.
Core Points & Operational Implications
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Quota Allocation Maintained: Nigeria’s allocation remains strictly capped at 95,000 pilgrims, divided between state Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards and licensed private tour operators.
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Reasoning for Rejection: Saudi officials cited safety limits, physical capacity constraints in the Mina valley tent cities, and synchronized crowd-control protocols designed to prevent overcrowding during peak ritual days.
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Early Registration & Payment Mandate: NAHCON urged intending pilgrims across all 36 states and the FCT to make early deposit payments to secure valid slots before the strict Saudi portal closure deadlines.
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Focus on Service Delivery: In light of the fixed quota, NAHCON announced that operational focus will shift toward negotiating better accommodation facilities, transport logistics, and medical services for Nigerian pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
