Tour operators seeking participation in the 2027 Hajj have threatened to petition President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly over alleged irregularities in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) qualification process.
The operators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, questioned the recently released list of companies deemed qualified to participate in the 2027 Hajj, alleging that the criteria were not applied consistently to all applicants.
Some of the affected operators claimed they met the requirements stipulated by NAHCON but were excluded from the list, while companies they believed did not satisfy certain conditions were approved.
“We have fulfilled all the requirements of the commission, yet to our surprise, companies that did not possess two Umrah licences appear on the list,” one operator alleged.
According to findings reported by Sahara Reporters, more than 230 companies applied for consideration, with about 140 reportedly appearing on the list of qualified operators. More than 90 applicants were left out, with some of the affected companies complaining that NAHCON did not publicly provide individual reasons for their disqualification.
The operators are particularly demanding greater transparency over the criteria and procedure used to arrive at the final list.
They want the commission to publish the complete qualification framework, including the requirements, assessment or scoring system, reasons for disqualification and the basis for admitting companies that made the final list.
The applicants have also raised questions about the timing of some applications, with one operator alleging that a company that submitted its application after the deadline was nevertheless included among the successful applicants.
“I know of someone who applied after the deadline and was still qualified,” the source alleged.
The operators said they were considering approaching the Presidency and National Assembly because of the potential financial and employment consequences of the decision.
“We are asking for transparency. If there are criteria used to qualify these companies, the criteria should be made public and applied equally to everyone,” another operator said.
Some of the affected companies have further alleged that their exclusion may be linked to their refusal to endorse Rawaf Mina, a service provider they claimed NAHCON favours.
According to the operators, the alleged pressure to support the service provider could amount to an attempt to force some private Hajj companies out of the market.
They called on the Federal Government to investigate the allegation and establish whether the qualification process was conducted independently and in accordance with established rules.
The operators also questioned whether the guidelines used in assessing applications followed NAHCON’s internal procedures, including the involvement of its governing board and relevant committees.
“We are asking the President to intervene and ensure that due process is followed. Companies have invested heavily in preparing for Hajj operations, and a decision that determines who participates should be transparent and subject to scrutiny,” one operator said.
They stressed that their demand was not for preferential treatment but for the rules to be applied equally to all applicants.
The operators warned that failure to resolve the dispute could have wider consequences for the private Hajj tour industry, including potential business closures and job losses.
They argued that companies excluded from the 2027 pilgrimage exercise could face severe financial difficulties, with employees and other businesses dependent on their operations potentially affected.
The controversy comes as preparations for the 2027 Hajj gather momentum, putting increased attention on NAHCON’s licensing and regulatory responsibilities within Nigeria’s Hajj industry.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain an official response from NAHCON to the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The development also comes following the recent reassignment of NAHCON’s former spokesperson, Fatima Usara, to the Pilgrims Education Unit. Her transfer has prompted questions among some stakeholders about the commission’s current arrangements for responding to media enquiries and communicating decisions concerning the Hajj industry.
Media and public affairs experts have similarly stressed the importance of clear communication channels, particularly when an agency faces allegations involving a process with significant financial implications for private operators.
The affected companies are expected to decide in the coming days whether to formally petition the Presidency and National Assembly, potentially putting the NAHCON qualification process under further scrutiny.