In a revised fare breakdown announced on Monday, the commission stated that pilgrims departing from the Southern Zone will gain the most, with a reduction of N792,943.83, lowering the new fare to N7,991,141.76 from N8,784,085.59. Pilgrims from the Northern Zone will also benefit from a significant decrease of N760,915.83, with the revised fare set at N7,696,769.76. The fee for pilgrims departing from the Borno-Adamawa axis, which has traditionally been the lowest-cost departure point, has been reduced to N7,579,020.96, down from N748,104.63 previously.
NAHCON stated that the downward evaluation is part of measures to lower the financial burden on pilgrims and promote greater participation in the 2026 exercise.
The commission also set December 5, 2025, as the new deadline for complete payment, stating that the time frame is critical for completing visa procedures, aircraft arrangements, and other logistical preparations.
In mid-October, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cut Nigeria's 95,000 slot to 66,910, effective 2026. Nigeria had held the previous place for three years.
NAHCON disclosed that the reduction was owing to Nigeria's inability to use the previous seat for the 2024 and 2025 hajj.
According to a statement signed by NAHCON's Deputy Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Sanda Usara, this means that past seat allocations to states will vary depending on the number of pilgrims they carried for the 2025 hajj.
She claimed that the information was made available following a meeting between NAHCON and states to discuss Hajj Costing and Other Critical Issues.
Prince Anofiu Elegushi, Commissioner of Operations, stated that previous allocations would be overturned based on how each state used its resources at the 2025 Hajj.
Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's instruction, NAHCON conducted a high-level consultative conference with state executives in Abuja to discuss preparations for the 2026 Hajj and the mandatory reduction in pilgrimage cost.
In his introductory remarks, Chairman/CEO Alhaji Abdullahi Saleh Usman emphasized the importance of collaboration between states and NAHCON in handling the 2026 operations.
He promised state leaders that the commission would provide full support and cooperation.
Elegushi revealed that the commission's management had been summoned to the Vice President's office and given clear instructions to evaluate and cut the 2026 Hajj fare.
“Therefore, NAHCON saw the importance of also summoning the states to do it together for the betterment of the Nigerian pilgrims,” Elegushi stated.