The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced plans to refund Nigerian pilgrims for services paid for but not rendered during the 2026 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

Chairman of the Commission, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, disclosed that the refunds would cover services that pilgrims did not receive despite making payments through the official Hajj package.

He said the Commission had concluded arrangements to identify the affected pilgrims and ensure the refunds were processed transparently.

According to him, the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of the 2026 Hajj operations, during which the Commission identified gaps in service delivery by some contracted providers.

He stressed that pilgrims should not bear the financial burden of services that were not delivered.

NAHCON said it was working with state Muslim pilgrims' welfare boards and other stakeholders to determine the exact amount due to each affected pilgrim and ensure prompt disbursement of the refunds.

The Commission also pledged to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and contractual obligations to prevent a recurrence in future Hajj operations.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to improving Hajj administration, assuring Nigerian pilgrims that lessons learnt from the 2026 exercise would be used to enhance service delivery, transparency and the overall pilgrimage experience in subsequent years.