Desperate Times For Nigerian Pilgrims: Accommodation Shortage Hits Makkah Ahead OF Hajj

According to reports from The Nation, officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards (SMPWB) are rushing to secure alternative accommodations after losing premium reservations to other countries. Many states, particularly from the Northwest, Northeast, North-Central, and South, have been displaced from the high-quality hotels they had occupied for years.

Securing accommodation is essential for obtaining a Hajj visa through the Nusuk platform. Fortunately, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah extended the accommodation deadline from March 25 to April 4, preventing Nigerian pilgrims from missing this year’s Hajj. Officials are now working urgently to secure new accommodations and upload the details to the platform.

However, many stakeholders are blaming NAHCON for the crisis, citing failure to make advance payments to secure reservations. Consequently, states are now forced to take any available lodging, regardless of location, quality, or cost. Some states have even booked accommodations below the set benchmark of SR3,000 per pilgrim bed space, fearing that missing out entirely would prevent their pilgrims from participating in the Hajj.

Allegations have surfaced that some NAHCON officials and accommodation agents are exploiting the situation for personal gain. There are also concerns that Nigerian pilgrims may protest the lower standard of accommodations once they arrive in Makkah.