The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has dismissed allegations of diversion of 5,000 slots allocated for the 2027 Hajj, describing the claims as unfounded.

The Commission was reacting to a report titled, “Hajj 2027: Private Operators Demand Probe of Diverted 5,000 Slots,” as well as what it described as a broader campaign of misinformation by some licensed private tour operators.

NAHCON Head, Information and Publications Division, Shafii Sani Mohammed, said no evidence had been presented to establish that the disputed slots were allocated in violation of Saudi Arabian Hajj regulations or the Commission’s guidelines.

The Commission said the report relied largely on claims by individuals identified as “Concerned Private Travel Operators,” whose identities and standing in the industry were not disclosed.

The statement said: “The Commission is aware of a coordinated and diversionary campaign built around entirely unfounded allegations of “Hajj slot diversion.”

“Rather than presenting evidence of wrongdoing, the allegations appear designed to shift attention away from the inability of certain operators to comply with the strict regulatory requirements, timelines, and digital upload obligations established by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the 2027 Hajj exercise.

“It is noteworthy that the report itself is built almost entirely on claims made by unnamed individuals described as “Concerned Private Travel Operators.”

“Readers are not informed who these operators are, whether they are established stakeholders, unsuccessful applicants, competing companies, or parties whose commercial interests may have been affected by the current allocation framework. The anonymity of the accusers makes it impossible for the public to properly assess their credibility, standing, or motives.

“More importantly, despite the sensational nature of the allegations, no evidence whatsoever has been presented to establish that any illegality occurred. At no point has it been demonstrated that the allocation of the disputed 5,000 slots violated Saudi Arabian Hajj regulations, NAHCON guidelines, or any policy governing Hajj operations in Nigeria.

“The concerns raised are largely framed around perceptions and commercial grievances rather than documented breaches of established rules or procedures.+

The commission said Nigeria’s approved allocation for the 2027 Hajj was 50,000 slots, comprising 35,000 slots for states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and 15,000 slots for duly licensed private Hajj tour operators.

According to NAHCON, the 15,000 private-sector slots were allocated to duly licensed tour operators operating under seven approved lead companies in accordance with Nigerian regulatory requirements and guidelines of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Commission added that the companies participating in the 2027 Hajj and Umrah operations were incorporated and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and other relevant government regulatory agencies.

Mohammed said the companies had also undergone applicable regulatory processes and were licensed by NAHCON to operate as Hajj and Umrah tour operators for the 2027 season.

NAHCON said the controversy appeared to be largely commercial, given the competition among operators for a finite number of Hajj slots.

The Commission also drew attention to the deadline set by Saudi authorities for uploading prospective pilgrims’ biometric and registration data on the Nusuk-Masar platform.

It said the Saudi digital gateway would close irrevocably on September 26, 2026, stressing that NAHCON had no authority to extend the deadline.

The Commission warned that operators who failed to upload their clients’ data or fulfil their contractual obligations before the closure of the Saudi portal would bear full responsibility for the consequences.

It said it was documenting instances of what it described as deliberate misinformation and diversionary tactics capable of misleading intending pilgrims and undermining confidence in the Hajj administration process.

NAHCON warned that operators found to have violated regulatory requirements could face sanctions, including suspension, revocation of licences and blacklisting from future Hajj operations.

The Commission urged intending premium pilgrims who registered through private travel agencies to urgently verify their enrolment status and ensure that their biometric and registration details had been successfully uploaded onto the Nusuk platform before the September 26 deadline.

It said genuine concerns over the allocation process should be addressed through facts, regulations, documentary evidence and established dispute-resolution mechanisms rather than anonymous allegations.