Saudi Arabia Grants Nigeria 10,000 Extra Hajj Slots For 2027

Saudi Arabia has granted Nigeria an additional 10,000 slots for the 2027 Hajj following sustained diplomatic interventions by the federal government, raising the country’s allocation from 50,000 to 60,000 pilgrims.

A top official of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) disclosed the development, saying the additional allocation followed high-level engagements with Saudi Arabian authorities after the Kingdom initially rejected Nigeria’s request for an increase in its Hajj quota.

The breakthrough followed interventions by the Presidency, the Office of the Vice President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and NAHCON.

Saudi Arabia had about two weeks ago formally declined Nigeria’s request for additional slots, citing capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and its policy of maintaining approved country allocations.

Following the initial decision, NAHCON announced an allocation of 50,000 pilgrims for Nigeria, comprising 35,000 government pilgrims and 15,000 slots for licensed private Hajj tour operators.

However, the official said sustained diplomatic engagements eventually yielded a positive response from the Saudi authorities, which agreed to make an additional 10,000 slots available to Nigeria.

The development is expected to provide relief to thousands of prospective Nigerian pilgrims who faced limited opportunities to participate in next year’s pilgrimage.

NAHCON had earlier informed stakeholders that September 26, 2026, was the deadline for uploading prospective pilgrims’ data to Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk-Masar platform, with no extension expected at the time.

The additional allocation is expected to necessitate a fresh window for registration and the uploading of details of the newly accommodated prospective pilgrims.

The commission is expected to communicate the new arrangements and revised timelines to state Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards, agencies, licensed tour operators and other stakeholders involved in the 2027 Hajj operation.

The additional 10,000 slots also come amid strong demand from Nigerians seeking to perform the pilgrimage, with the earlier 50,000 allocation having created pressure among prospective pilgrims and Hajj administrators.

With the additional slots secured, attention is now expected to shift to the modalities for their distribution and arrangements for registering and processing the newly accommodated pilgrims.