LunagisthubNigeria’s 2025 Hajj Crisis: N25 Billion at Stake Over Unused Bed Spaces and Dubious Contracts
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is facing a potential financial crisis, with the country risking a loss of over N25.14 billion during the 2025 Hajj exercise. This loss is attributed to negligence, inflated contracts, and questionable dealings involving bed spaces and service providers in Saudi Arabia.
A staggering 14,179 bed spaces in Mina, a critical stop during the Hajj pilgrimage, were paid for but left unused. This translates to a significant financial loss, with over N24.6 billion wasted on unused bed spaces alone. The breakdown is as follows.
Total bed spaces secured:52,544
Bed spaces used:41,568
Unused bed spaces:10,976 (14,179 in Mina + 2,046 unutilized spaces by tour operators).Multiple sources within NAHCON have alleged that the commission’s Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, failed to apply for refunds despite persistent reminders. This failure has been attributed to negligence, absence of technical know-how, and lack of capacity, with the added challenge of all official communications needing to be translated into Hausa for the chairman.
The situation has sparked calls for investigation and action, with a senior NAHCON official urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to step in and investigate the intentional circumstances leading to this huge loss. The official questioned why the funds were not properly managed and where they ended up.
The potential loss of N25.14 billion during the 2025 Hajj exercise highlights the need for transparency and accountability in NAHCON’s operations. It remains to be seen how the government will respond to this crisis and ensure that such financial mismanagement is addressed in the future .
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