Saudi Arabia has approved additional Hajj slots for Nigeria for the 2027 pilgrimage, reversing an earlier decision that left the country’s allocation at 50,000 pilgrims.

The development followed further diplomatic engagements involving the Federal Government and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) after Saudi authorities declined Nigeria’s initial request for an increase in September.

NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, confirmed the latest development, describing the additional allocation as an “Independence gift” to Nigerian Muslim pilgrims.

“This is an Independence gift to Nigerian Muslim pilgrims,” Yusuf said.

The number of additional slots approved by Saudi Arabia was, however, not immediately disclosed.

Nigeria’s previous allocation for the 2027 pilgrimage stood at 50,000, comprising 35,000 slots for pilgrims travelling through state pilgrims’ welfare boards and the Federal Capital Territory, and another 15,000 for licensed private tour operators.

On September 17, NAHCON announced that Saudi authorities had rejected its request for an upward review of that allocation.

At the time, the commission said the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cited capacity limitations, structural constraints at the holy sites and adherence to approved country quotas under the existing operational framework.

The decision generated concern among state pilgrims’ welfare boards and prospective pilgrims seeking places for the 2027 exercise.

NAHCON said it had requested additional slots in response to increasing demand from intending pilgrims and appeals from state pilgrims’ welfare boards.

The latest approval represents a reversal of that position following further engagements between Nigerian and Saudi authorities.

Yusuf attributed the development to sustained diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia and the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.

Sources familiar with the negotiations also credited Vice President Kashim Shettima with coordinating aspects of the engagement, working alongside other government institutions involved in Nigeria’s Hajj administration.

NAHCON was said to have worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh in continuing discussions with Saudi authorities after the earlier request was declined.

The commission presented Nigeria’s case for an increased allocation against the backdrop of demand from intending pilgrims and state authorities seeking additional spaces.

Lagos State, for example, had publicly requested an increase in its allocation before Saudi Arabia’s initial rejection.

The Lagos State Government said in September that the 1,224 slots allocated to the state were inadequate and requested at least 2,500 places for its intending pilgrims.

Yusuf said the eventual approval demonstrated the value of continued dialogue after Nigeria’s initial request was unsuccessful.

According to him, what had appeared difficult to achieve following the earlier decision became possible through sustained engagement between the two countries.

The NAHCON chairman also said Saudi authorities had indicated that further increases in Nigeria’s allocation could be considered in future Hajj seasons.

Any such increase, he said, would depend partly on Nigeria’s efficient utilisation of its allocation and compliance with Saudi regulations and operational requirements.

The latest allocation could provide additional opportunities for prospective pilgrims who might otherwise have been unable to participate in the 2027 exercise.

Its full impact, however, will depend on the number of additional slots approved and how they are subsequently distributed among state pilgrims’ welfare agencies and licensed private tour operators.

Those details had not been made public at the time of this report.

Nigeria had already begun preparations for the 2027 Hajj before the latest development.

NAHCON announced approved fares in August, with intending pilgrims in different parts of the country expected to pay between approximately N7.67 million and N7.88 million, depending on their departure zone.

The commission has also been implementing changes to the administration of the pilgrimage following its review of the 2026 Hajj operation.

The additional Saudi allocation comes two weeks after NAHCON described the previous 50,000-slot quota as final and advised Nigerians unable to secure places to consider registering for the 2028 pilgrimage.

With Saudi Arabia now approving an increase, attention is expected to turn to the size of the revised Nigerian quota and the distribution of the additional slots.

NAHCON has yet to publicly specify those figures.