The House of Representatives has adopted a report recommending major reforms in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to improve the Hajj experience, enhance transparency, and prevent financial mismanagement.
A key recommendation is the creation of a Hajj Tribunal to handle contract breaches, financial disputes, and service failures involving NAHCON, tour operators, and pilgrims. According to Sada Soli, chairman of the ad-hoc committee, the tribunal will provide a platform for pilgrims to seek redress for grievances.
The House also called for a review of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), which currently allows Saudi-owned airlines to airlift 50% of Nigerian pilgrims. Lawmakers argue that this arrangement has negatively impacted domestic airlines that have demonstrated the capacity for the airlift. The government has been directed to renegotiate the agreement to ensure a fairer distribution of contracts.
To improve financial transparency, NAHCON must publish a breakdown of all Hajj charges, justify costs, and implement a uniform fee structure with clear variations where applicable. The House also recommended increasing the $500 Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) to better support pilgrims.
Accommodation management is to be decentralized, allowing state pilgrims welfare boards and private tour operators to negotiate benchmark prices. A service rating system for accommodation providers will be introduced, alongside timely fund disbursement to prevent last-minute changes that force pilgrims into substandard hotels. NAHCON must also implement an effective refund mechanism and impose penalties on service providers who fail to meet contractual obligations.
The House further directed NAHCON to establish a complaints and resolution unit to handle grievances related to accommodation, feeding, transportation, and other services. It must also ensure that official Hajj visas are issued transparently to registered tour operators in proportion to the number of pilgrims they manage.
Warning against unilateral decision-making, lawmakers urged NAHCON to engage tour operators, airlines, state pilgrims welfare boards, and regulatory agencies in policy decisions. The commission must also strengthen its enforcement capacity to ensure compliance with Hajj standards.
On feeding, the House recommended that Nigerian food caterers be contracted to provide culturally appropriate meals for pilgrims.
Additionally, the House has directed anti-graft agencies and the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation (OAGF) to conduct a comprehensive audit of the N90 billion federal subsidy allocated to NAHCON for the 2024 Hajj operations.
