The Federal Government has designated four airlines as official carriers for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This announcement was made by the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Usman, in a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Mrs. Fatima Usara, on Sunday in Abuja.
Prof. Usman revealed that the airlines—Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas (a Saudi Arabia-designated carrier), Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd.—were selected from 11 companies that applied to handle the transportation of Nigerian pilgrims.
The decision followed a rigorous screening and shortlisting process conducted by a 32-member Aviation Screening Committee inaugurated by NAHCON on November 26, 2024. The committee included representatives from various agencies, including State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Additional members were drawn from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), NAHCON Board members representing different geopolitical zones, and other relevant NAHCON departments such as Aviation, Procurement, Legal, and Internal Audit.
In addition to the airlines, Prof. Usman disclosed that three cargo carriers—Aglow Aviation Support Services Ltd., Cargozeal Technology Ltd., and Qualla Investment Ltd.—have been approved for handling excess luggage during the Hajj operations.
Congratulating the successful companies, the NAHCON Chairman urged them to deliver on their commitments made during the screening process.
Meanwhile, Prof. Usman signed the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on behalf of the Nigerian Government. The signing ceremony, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was attended by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat, formalizing the bilateral engagements for this year’s Hajj.
