The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced a cost relief of over ₦19 billion for the 2026 Hajj exercise following successful negotiations with Saudi service providers.

Chairman of the Commission, Professor Abdullahi Usman Saleh, disclosed this on Friday in Kano while briefing journalists on the outcome of his recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

He said the relief accounted for the lower fares earlier announced for 2026.

According to NAHCON, Hajj fares have been fixed at ₦8,118,333.67 for pilgrims from Maiduguri and Yola, ₦8,244,813.67 for Northern states, and ₦8,561,013.67 for Southern states.

Professor Saleh explained that Nigeria signed agreements with Mashariq Dhahabiyya Company to provide services at Masha’ir and Daleel Al-Ma’aleem Company for transportation.

He noted that the negotiations secured over ₦200,000 reduction in service cost per pilgrim, with 66,910 slots allocated to Nigeria.

“We return with gratitude to Almighty Allah and with a renewed sense of duty. When I departed on September 22, I carried one mission: to defend the Nigerian pilgrims, secure cost-efficient services, and prepare the ground for a better 2026 Hajj. We signed service contracts for Masha’ir and transport, ensuring that their past performance will be surpassed,” he said.

He added that contracts for accommodation and feeding in Madinah were also concluded, securing quality facilities in Markaziyya at competitive rates.

The NAHCON chairman announced December 31, 2025, as the deadline for full payment of 2026 Hajj fares to guarantee early camp bookings, stronger contracts, and efficient service delivery.

He reminded intending pilgrims that they must deposit 50 percent of their fares by October 8, 2025, to secure slots, stressing that the timeline was set to meet Saudi requirements.