Lagos, Nigeria — August 12, 2025:
The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has announced that intending pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj will be required to make an initial deposit of ₦8.5 million. The amount aligns with the provisional fare set by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), pending the conclusion of service agreements for the holy journey.
The announcement followed a strategic post-2025 Hajj review meeting held in Abuja, where NAHCON officials and state Pilgrims’ Welfare Board chairpersons reviewed the last exercise and outlined early preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage.
NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, confirmed that Nigeria will retain its 95,000-slot allocation for next year’s Hajj, with the current distribution formula to state boards remaining unchanged.
The Commission commended the Federal Government for policy adjustments that allowed Hajj payments to be made in Naira and for suspending the Central Bank’s requirement for credit card-only payments for the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA). These measures, NAHCON noted, eased access to funds and shielded pilgrims from foreign exchange bottlenecks.
The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board advised intending pilgrims to begin early preparations and secure their deposits promptly to guarantee inclusion in the 2026 Hajj slots.