The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has commenced a two-day professional training programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators to enhance service delivery and ensure better welfare for Nigerian pilgrims ahead of the 2027 Hajj.
The programme, held in Kano and Lagos, is designed to strengthen regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and professionalism in pilgrimage management.
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In a statement by the Head of Information and Publications Division of NAHCON, Mallam Shafii Sani Mohammed, the Commission’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the training was necessary to prepare operators for emerging changes in the global Hajj industry.
Ambassador Yusuf explained that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms and the introduction of a business-to-business model were expected to increase private-sector participation in Hajj operations.
He revealed that NAHCON had secured a three-year phased transition arrangement with Saudi authorities, beginning with thirty per cent private-sector participation in 2027, to enable Nigeria to strengthen its regulatory framework and prepare operators for their expanded responsibilities.
The NAHCON Chairman urged tour operators to prioritise pilgrims’ welfare above commercial interests, stressing that professional standards, digital transformation and effective regulatory oversight remained central to the Commission’s objectives.
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Earlier, the Rector of the Hajj Institute of Nigeria, Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare, described professional training as essential to modern pilgrimage management.
He emphasised the need for expertise in corporate governance, risk management, operational coordination and international service standards.
Professor Maiturare also highlighted the Institute’s academic programmes, including an MBA in Hajj Operations Management in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education.
The training, which runs from Monday, October 26, to Tuesday, October 27, 2026, organised by the Hajj Institute of Nigeria in collaboration with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria.
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It features sessions on professional ethics, integrated operations management, lessons from the 2026 Hajj, leadership, conflict resolution, pilgrim welfare and collaboration with Saudi service providers.
The initiative is expected to improve operators’ preparedness for the 2027 Hajj and promote a more professional, competitive and pilgrim-centred Hajj and Umrah industry in Nigeria.