Shettima Scores NAHCON High Over Seamless 2026 Hajj Exercise

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the seamless handling of the 2026 hajj operation.

He spoke on Wednesday    when he received the board and management of NAHCON, as well as representatives of the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation met with the Vice President to brief him on the just-concluded 2026 Hajj exercise and projections for future operations.

In his interaction with the team, VP Shettima, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, praised the efforts of NAHCON, the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards and other stakeholders, congratulating them on an almost seamless performance.

He said the team’s performance in the 2026 exercise should serve as the model and benchmark going forward, particularly as authorities move towards adopting a more sustainable model that guarantees a 100 per cent hitch-free pilgrimage.

Earlier, the Chairman of NAHCON, Amb. Ismail Abba Yusuf, who gave a summary report on the 2026 exercise, also apprised the VP of the Saudi authorities’ decision to migrate to a more sustainable business-to-business model.

Amb. Yusuf said the move by the Saudi authorities to cede the handling of 98% of pilgrims to private tour operators was in pursuit of the government’s Vision 2030, which encourages a business-to-business model, with the Hajj Commission maintaining its regulatory role while ceding operational aspects of the Hajj to the private sector.

He said the commission remained fully committed to  delivering on this new task, noting that plans were already in motion to actualise the objective.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the vision behind the creation of new regional development commissions is to unlock additional opportunities and harness the unique strengths of the various regions to advance Nigeria’s collective prosperity.

He thus stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be praised for his foresight and directional leadership.

In a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, he said the vision must, however, be backed by innovation, effective collaboration and integrity in the discharge of the mandate of the various regional development bodies, noting that the “Renewed Hope Agenda is about translating policy into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.”

The Vice President stated this on Wednesday when he received the management of the South West Development Commission (SWDC) led by its board chairman, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Recalling the mandate of the commission, Senator Shettima said, “The South West region, with its history of enterprise, innovation, education and industry, has a pivotal role to play in Nigeria’s development journey. Your commission must be known for delivery, not bureaucracy. Nigerians will measure your success by the quality of roads built, jobs created, businesses supported, and communities transformed.”

The VP noted that collaboration was also key to the realisation of the mandate of the South West Development Commission and to improving people’s livelihoods.

His words: “Across the world, successful regions are those that invest in innovation, human capital, technology and regional integration. The South-West is well-positioned to lead Nigeria in these areas. I encourage you to work closely with the state governments across the south west, traditional institutions, the private sector and development partners.

“Development succeeds when institutions collaborate, not compete. Peer review is very important. I urge you to reach out to the other regional development commissions and share ideas that will transform the fortunes of our various regions.”

On the selection and execution of projects and programmes across communities in the region, He said: “Every project must be transparent, measurable and capable of attracting private investment. Our job as government is to create the enabling environment for investments to thrive.”

The Vice President urged the commission and other regional development bodies to be guided by integrity, innovation and results, reiterating the Federal Government’s support for every genuine effort that advances regional development and national prosperity.

Earlier, the Chairman of the commission’s board, Senator Adetunmbi, commended the Tinubu administration, noting with admiration the government’s economic and structural reforms that culminated in the creation of the regional development commissions, among other benefits.

He also commended the Vice President for his leadership of the National Economic Council (NEC), which he said is transforming governance at the sub-national level with tangible projects executed across the country.

Senator Adetunmbi briefed the Vice President on the proposed roadmap for the commission’s interventions in infrastructure, human capital development, and related projects across the region, stating that it plans to conduct a robust baseline study to guide the commission’s programmes properly.

The Chairman thanked the Vice President’s guidance and support in working harmoniously with sub-nationals through the National Economic and Development Council to avoid duplication of efforts and improve the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.

Also present at the meeting were the Managing Director of the commission, Dr Charles Akinola, the executive directors, and members representing the various states and geopolitical regions of the commission’s board.