President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), subject to the Senate’s confirmation in accordance with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act, 2006.
 
The nomination was conveyed in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, in which the President requested expeditious legislative approval to enable the nominee assume office without delay.
 
Yusuf, according to a statement signed yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is to replace Professor Abdullahi Usman, who resigned earlier this week after spending about 14 months at the helm of the commission.

A seasoned career diplomat, Yusuf served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye between 2021 and 2024. 
 
His diplomatic career spans several decades within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he held various strategic postings and represented the country in bilateral and multilateral engagements.
 
NAHCON is the statutory body responsible for organising, supervising and coordinating Hajj and Umrah activities for Nigerian pilgrims, as well as liaising with relevant international authorities on pilgrimage matters.
 
Established in 2006 by the NAHCON Act and operational since 2007, the commission was created to address longstanding instability in Hajj administration, replacing earlier structures such as the Nigerian Pilgrims Board.
 
Its mandate includes licensing tour operators, regulating pilgrim movements, coordinating state pilgrims’ welfare boards, overseeing airlifts and accommodation logistics, and ensuring compliance with Saudi Arabian regulations. 
 
The commission also manages medical and security arrangements, runs Hajj savings schemes across states, maintains biometric databases, and conducts public awareness campaigns.