An independent faith-based civil society organisation, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has urged State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to roll over intending pilgrims who were not captured in the final list for the 2026 Hajj.
The call followed clarification by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that there will be no additional Hajj slots for states or private tour operators beyond the approved allocation.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, on Wednesday, IHR said there is an urgent need to clearly define the next steps for pilgrims who completed their payments and other requirements before the reduction in Nigeria’s 2026 Hajj quota but were unable to secure slots.
The organisation recommended that affected pilgrims be formally notified and rolled over to the 2027 Hajj without being required to pay additional fare, even if the cost of the next pilgrimage increases.
IHR also advised NAHCON to establish a committee to audit states’ 2026 Hajj registration databases to identify those left out and work with state boards to implement a structured rollover arrangement.
According to the group, many of the affected pilgrims had fulfilled all obligations before the slot reduction disrupted their plans to perform Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam.
IHR recommended that such proactive measures will prevent any protest by the affected pilgrims and creates streamline process for the 2027 Hajj registrations.
