The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has concluded the return airlift of Nigerian pilgrims from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the 2026 Hajj exercise, with 12 pilgrims currently receiving medical treatment in hospitals across the kingdom.

NAHCON disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Hajiya Fatima Usara, announcing the completion of the return phase of the pilgrimage operation after the departure of the final batch of pilgrims to Nigeria.

According to the commission, the 12 pilgrims are undergoing treatment for various health conditions, while arrangements have been put in place to facilitate their return home immediately they are discharged from the hospitals.

“NAHCON is closely monitoring their situations and has made arrangements to facilitate their safe return to Nigeria as soon as they are discharged,” Usara stated.

The commission noted that the conclusion of the return airlift marked the successful completion of a major operation that involved the transportation of more than 38,000 Nigerian pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia.

The commission also acknowledges the cooperation of state pilgrims’ welfare boards, licensed tour operators, aviation partners, medical teams, security agencies and other service providers for the successful operation.

While acknowledging that some operational challenges were encountered during the exercise, NAHCON said valuable lessons had been learned and would be applied to improve future Hajj operations.

The commission also clarified that differences between outbound and return flight statistics were partly due to some pilgrims opting to leave Saudi Arabia through scheduled commercial flights because of work commitments and other personal reasons.

Meanwhile, NAHCON announced that preparations for the 2027 Hajj exercise have commenced. 

The commission revealed that a circular had already been issued to state pilgrims’ welfare boards, agencies, commissions and licensed tour operators, directing them to begin preparations in line with guidelines from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Chairman of NAHCON, Ambassador Abdullahi Ismail Yusuf, expressed gratitude to Allah for the successful completion of the 2026 Hajj exercise and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their support, which he said contributed significantly to the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.

The commission expressed optimism that lessons from the 2026 operation would strengthen planning and service delivery for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2027 Hajj.