Civil society groups have called for a comprehensive review of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) after serious gaps emerged in security screening and medical support during the 2025 pilgrimage. The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) issued a strongly worded appeal for an open and fact-based evaluation, warning against self-congratulatory cover-ups by commission leadership. They highlighted risks to pilgrims’ safety and welfare, urging immediate action.
Among the gravest concerns is the presence of individuals with suspected criminal backgrounds among pilgrims. At least two alleged kidnappers were detained during outbound and return flights, raising questions about the adequacy of NAHCON’s vetting and security protocols. IHR specifically decried that the screening system failed to flag a nine-month pregnant woman from Zamfara State who gave birth during Hajj—an incident that symbolizes broader failures in eligibility checks and medical oversight.
Medical preparedness also came under fire. Despite sending 300 medical personnel, including doctors and pharmacists, pilgrims in both Madinah and Makkah had no access to clinics operated by NAHCON. Reports indicate that lack of licensing arrangements prevented permanent medical posts from being established, leaving thousands of pilgrims without designated healthcare support and forcing them to pay out-of-pocket at private facilities. This shortfall contradicted government assurances that basic medical infrastructure would be available in-country.
IHR further flagged logistical chaos: delays in paying allowances to officials, mismatches between flight manifest data and the Saudi NUSUK registration system, poorly situated accommodation far from the Grand Mosque, and insufficient bed spaces in Madinah. While acknowledging improvements in pilgrim airlift coordination and food services, they warned that these gains were overshadowed by critical lapses that must be investigated before the 2026 Hajj.
Stakeholders also called for anti-graft agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC to scrutinize NAHCON’s operations—especially the allocation and utilization of over ₦3 billion for medical personnel deployment and alleged nepotistic staffing practices. Reports suggested inflated personnel count, lack of functional clinics, and other procedural irregularities that merit forensic review.
NAHCON has pushed back against claims of nepotism and racketeering in medical team selection. It insists that a professional steering committee vetted applicants, accepting fewer than 9,000 valid submissions from over 30,000 entries, and that selected staff were chosen transparently based on competency and availability. Staff non-selection was attributed in part to budget constraints and procedural disqualifications.
But for many pilgrims, the personal cost was real: the absence of clinics, misplaced flight lists, and overcrowded accommodation led to stress, illness, and hardship in holy cities thousands of miles from home. Critics argue that NAHCON’s leadership prioritized optics over substance—and that without urgent reforms, Nigeria risks repeating the disaster next year.
