By Sarah NEGEDU
Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has called for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s Hajj administration, saying the country’s pilgrimage system must become more transparent, efficient, accountable and focused on the welfare of pilgrims.
Mahmoud made the call on Wednesday at the Stakeholders’ Summit on Post-2026 Hajj Review and NAHCON Reform in Abuja, where participants gathered to assess this year’s Hajj operations and chart a path for improving future pilgrimages.
Speaking at the summit, themed “Repositioning Nigeria’s Hajj Industry as a Model of Service Excellence,” the minister said Hajj goes beyond a religious obligation and demands careful planning, effective coordination and quality service delivery.
“Every pilgrim deserves an experience that reflects dignity, safety, comfort, and professionalism. Achieving this requires unwavering commitment, transparency, and accountability from all stakeholders,” she said.
According to a statement by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Austine Elemue, Mahmoud commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for convening the summit, describing it as an opportunity for an honest assessment of the 2026 Hajj exercise.
She said evaluating both the successes and challenges of the pilgrimage was necessary to strengthen public confidence and drive lasting institutional reforms.
The minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to initiatives that improve public service delivery, stressing that stronger collaboration among governments, regulatory agencies, service providers, State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and religious leaders was essential to building a more efficient and sustainable Hajj management system.
She urged participants to draw from practical experiences and global best practices in making recommendations that would improve future Hajj operations.
“The recommendations from this summit should provide a clear roadmap for sustainable reforms that will enhance efficiency, accountability, innovation and pilgrims’ satisfaction,” she said.
In his remarks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, said the summit was convened not only to review the 2026 Hajj exercise but also to reposition Nigeria’s Hajj administration for improved performance.
He noted that Saudi Arabia’s ongoing Vision 2030 reforms were transforming pilgrimage administration and urged stakeholders to treat the summit as a platform for accountability.
“Every shortcomings must be named without embellishment and matched with a remedy. There are things we achieved and there are things we must fix,” he said.
