The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says the conveyance of Nigerian pilgrims back home from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now scheduled to commence on Wednesday 3rd June, 2026.

The reschedule of the inbound flight may have automatically negated the 5th June, earlier announced.

NAHCON’s Head of Aviation, Alhaji Habib Bello, who disclosed the new schedule during a media briefing in Makkah however appealed pilgrims to comply with standard rules on luggage to avoid needless obstruction.

Citing reason for the new operations, Bello explained that flight schedules are determined by airlines and approved by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which allocates operating slots to all carriers.

He revealed that Max Air would begin return flights on June 3 with pilgrims from Nasarawa State, while Flynas and Air Peace would concurrently launched their return perations on 4th June with pilgrims from Ogun and Oyo states respectively.

The head of aviation urged pilgrims to adhere to the approved two bags with 23kg each and a 8kg hand luggage, warning that non-compliance could result in delays or removal from flight manifests.

According to him, pilgrims are also required to notify officials at least 48 hours before departure to facilitate passport release, luggage processing and transportation arrangements.

Also speaking, the Head of the Makkah Passport Committee, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, said the commission had successfully concluded the first phase of the 2026 Hajj operation and was processing passports for returning pilgrims.

Mohammed explained that passports are kept in safe custody to prevent loss, damage and cases of abscondment, adding that pilgrims must submit their travel details at least 48 hours before departure for seamless processing.

He assured pilgrims that mechanisms were in place to recover misplaced passports or secure Emergency Travel Certificates where necessary.

The commission therefore appealed to pilgrims and state officials to cooperate with the established procedures to ensure a smooth and hitch-free return operation.