The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has successfully concluded the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia after the 2025 Hajj exercise.

The final flight departed Jeddah on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., carrying 88 Kaduna pilgrims and one pilgrim from Katsina.

In a statement last Thursday, NAHCON announced 2 July as the deadline for completing the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.

According to Fatima Usara, the commission’s spokesperson, on Wednesday, all pilgrims have been successfully airlifted back home as planned.

“The return leg operation spanned 20 days after commencing on 13 June,” she said.

In his farewell address to the pilgrims, the Chairman of the Commission, Abdullah Usman, a professor, expressed profound gratitude to Allah for granting Nigeria a smooth and successful Hajj exercise.

Altogether, 41,668 Nigerian pilgrims participated in this year’s pilgrimage.

NAHCON Concludes 2025 Hajj Return Operations as Last Flight Departs for Kaduna

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has successfully concluded the return airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the 2025 Hajj exercise. The final flight departed Jeddah today at 10:30 am, carrying 88 pilgrims back to Kaduna State, plus one from Katsina. The return leg operation spanned 20 days after commencing on the 13th of June.

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In his farewell address to the pilgrims, the Chairman of NAHCON, Professor Abdullah Saleh Usman, expressed profound gratitude to Allah for granting Nigeria a smooth and successful Hajj exercise. He attributed this success to the spirit of unity and cooperation demonstrated by State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards officials, airline operators, and other service providers, as well as the obedience of the pilgrims to laid-down guidelines.

The Chairman urged the returning pilgrims to continue praying for Nigeria to overcome its challenges and to remember the nation’s leaders in their prayers. He also reminded them that Hajj serves as an opportunity to build meaningful relationships, which foster peace and harmony; therefore, Professor Usman encouraged them to sustain the ties of friendships they established during their pilgrimage.

The Chairman, flanked by Commissioner Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, Secretary of the Commission, Dr Mustapha Alli, Special Assistant to the President Ameen Amshi, and other NAHCON staff, prayed for their safe journey back to Nigeria.

He reassured that NAHCON will continue to improve in its mandate for Nigerian pilgrims in line with global best practices.

Fatima Sanda Usara,
Assistant Director of Information and Publications