Hajj Belongs To Private Tours Operators, AHUON Insists

The Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) has insisted that the future of Hajj in Nigeria belongs to the private tour operators as it’s obtainable in the other climes, and for a review of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) act that would capture the private sector initiatives.

The association asserted in a communique signed by its national president, Abdulateef Ekundayo, at the end of their zonal conferences for the year 2024.

AHUON appreciated President Bola Tinubu’s support of the Pilgrims during the 2024 Hajj and urged the President to always extend such goodwill to Nigerian Pilgrims under the Private Tour Operators, too.

The communique called for a reform that would make private operators its flagship, as envisioned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms.

“All attendants at the conferences were unanimated that the current NAHCON Acts are obsolete and cannot stand the test and demands of modern Hajj management, particularly as envisioned by the Vision 2030 reforms of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“The conference agreed that the future of Hajj belongs to the private tour operators as it’s obtainable in the other climes. Therefore, any further attempts to review the NAHCON act should capture the private sector initiatives led by AHUON, and its members should have representations on the NAHCON Board,” AHUON said.

The association expressed concern over NAHCON’s continued delay in closing the Books of 2024 Hajj. It also appealed to the commission to respond to its plea to intervene on the issue of the epileptic Umrah visa regime from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj.

“The conference noted with concern the continued delay of NAHCON to close the Books of 2024 Hajj from the Tour operators’ perspective. This includes refunds of all monies owed to its members by the Commission before the opening of a new Bid for Hajj 2025. Members were therefore unanimous in calling for a stay of action on the Bidding for the 2025 Hajj license until NAHCON reconciled its accounts with the Tour Operators and paid all outstanding refunds, including the 2023 and 2024 caution deposits and those of services not rendered over the years.

“The conference found it appalling the refusal of the NAHCON to respond to the Association’s plea to intervene on the epileptic Umrah visa regime from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj.

“The issue at stake calls for direct government intervention, but to our dismay, the Commission has not acknowledged the receipt of our letter stating our demands.

“Members frown at the practice where Tour Operators’ allocation is being shared with other government agencies against the good intentions of the Ministry of Hajj in promoting private sector participation in Hajj.

“It therefore calls upon the Commission to refrain from further encroachment on the 20,000 slots allocation to the private Tour companies. The slots are meant for our members and should always be applied as such.“