President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

The nomination was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, President Tinubu forwarded a letter to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, requesting the expeditious confirmation of Ambassador Yusuf to replace Professor Abdullahi Usman, who resigned earlier this week after about 14 months in office.

The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation in accordance with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act.

Ambassador Yusuf is a career diplomat who served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye from 2021 to 2024.

NAHCON is the federal agency responsible for regulating and coordinating Hajj and Umrah operations in Nigeria, including the licensing of tour operators and the welfare of pilgrims.

In a separate statement issued in Abuja, Professor Usman said his decision to resign was taken purely for personal reasons, stressing that it was not borne out of dissatisfaction with the commission, the government, or its mandate.

He explained that the decision followed careful reflection and consultation with his family, and expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, members of the NAHCON board, management, staff, and other stakeholders for their support during his tenure.

Usman’s resignation came amid heightened tensions within the commission following a petition submitted by 11 NAHCON board members to the President on January 19, 2026, seeking his removal over allegations of financial indiscipline, lack of transparency, and repeated approvals of expenditures and contracts beyond board authorisation and approved budget limits.

The board further accused him of awarding Hajj-related contracts in violation of the Bureau of Public Procurement Act, allegedly exposing the commission to legal, financial, and reputational risks.

Usman, however, denied the allegations, maintaining that his resignation was motivated solely by personal considerations.