NAHCON Dismisses Diverted 5,000 2027 Hajj Slots Allegation

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has dismissed reports alleging the diversion of 5,000 hajj slots for the 2027 pilgrimage, describing the claims as baseless and unfounded.

The commission was reacting to a report published by a national daily under the headline, “Hajj 2027: Private Operators Demand Probe of Diverted 5,000 Slots,” as well as what it described as a wider campaign of misinformation by some licensed private Hajj tour operators over the allocation of slots.

In a statement, NAHCON said stakeholders had the right to seek clarification on issues affecting the Hajj industry but stressed the need to distinguish verifiable facts from speculation and legitimate concerns from claims driven by commercial interests.

The commission alleged that a “coordinated and diversionary campaign” had been built around unfounded claims of Hajj slot diversion.

According to NAHCON, the allegations were aimed at shifting attention from the failure of some operators to meet the regulatory requirements, deadlines and digital upload obligations set by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the 2027 pilgrimage.

It also questioned the credibility of the allegations, noting that the newspaper report relied largely on claims attributed to unnamed individuals identified as “Concerned Private Travel Operators”.

NAHCON said the identities and status of the individuals were not disclosed, making it difficult for the public to determine whether they were established industry stakeholders, unsuccessful applicants, competing companies or parties whose commercial interests had been affected by the allocation arrangement.