NAHCON Slashes 2026 Hajj Fare To N7.6m, Sets December 5 Deadline For Payment

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced a major reduction in the cost of the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, offering significant relief to intending pilgrims across the country.
In a statement released in Abuja yesterday, Hajiya Fatima Usara, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations at NAHCON, confirmed the downward review following extensive consultations with stakeholders and approval from relevant authorities.
According to the new pricing structure, pilgrims from Maiduguri/Yola Zone will now pay N7,579,020.96 instead of N8,118,033.67, those from the Northern Zone will pay N7,696,769.76 down from N8,244,813.67, while the Southern Zone fare has been reduced to N7,991,141.76 from N8,561,013.67.
Usara explained that the revised fares were calculated using an exchange rate of N1,443 per dollar, resulting in a reduction of N539,013, N548,043.91, and N569,871.91 for the respective zones.
She further advised intending pilgrims to complete their payments by December 5, to allow for timely transfers to NAHCON’s IBAN account before Saudi Arabia’s final deadline.
“The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has fixed December 21 as the closing date for all payments related to basic services contracts and has made it clear that there will be no extension,” she stated.
Usara also emphasized that due to time constraints and payment processing durations—which could take up to two weeks—early payment was crucial to avoid disqualification.
She added that during yesterday’s meeting, NAHCON announced the cancellation of previous slot allocations to states. Going forward, slots will be allocated strictly on a first-come, first-served basis, giving priority to states that remit their Hajj fares early.
The Chairman of the Forum of States, Alhaji Idris Almakura, urged his colleagues to conclude ongoing engagements in Saudi Arabia swiftly and return home to mobilize prospective pilgrims.
Almakura underscored the urgency of meeting the Saudi deadline, stressing that timely action was vital for Nigeria to secure its full quota for the 2025 Hajj exercise.