From Mohammed Umar Puma

The Association for Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON, has recommended reforms that limit the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to regulatory and supervisory duties only.

Speaking at the public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board Over the 2024 Hajj Vice President Kano brach of the association, Mallam Haruna Ismail, Said reforms will see hajj operations in the country been manage by the private sector,

Mallam Ismail said AHOUN is ready to provide expert support for the required legislative process, urging the federal government to be proactive in putting the right measures and laws on the ground to avoid last minute rush.

“We recommend the committee to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to verify some of our submissions and interact with some of the active players in the provision of service to Nigerian Pilgrims.

“The committee should look at developing a standard operational practice for all operators in the Hajj management chain. This will act as a model upon which future Haji reforms shall be placed on.

“The need for a joint committee of all players in the Hajj management in the country is long over-due to constantly review Hajj processes, reports and complaint

“As we gear up to full private operator's control, we suggest this committee to recommend a regime where the share of the slots should be increased gradually by 10,000 slots annually thereby building the capacity of the private tour operators to take over the operation,” he said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of Comerel Travels, Mr Abubakar Siddeeq,said that management of Hajj must evolve around qualified individuals who thoroughly understand the complexities of hajj operations.

Siddeeq said that section 3 of the NAHCON establishment Act should include representatives of tour operators and state welfare pilgrims boards and agencies on the NAHCON board.

“NAHCON is not supposed to have a single pilgrim in Nigeria, tour operators and the state pilgrims welfare boards are the owners of the pilgrims. The problems in hajj operations will continue since the owners of the pilgrims are excluded from the board of NAHCON.

“This Act that we are working on and discussing, lacks a clear definition of private tour operators, agency and agencies is not enough. It has to be spelled out clearly. Private tour operators and what they do, they organise hajj for groups and individuals.

“Priority should be given to the implementation of the existing Act, because there is nothing wrong with it, only

the amendment that we are mentioning. It is a fine document, but has not been allowed to work properly.

“NAHCON should rather enhance its regulatory oversight by implementing effective regulations and enforcement mechanism. It has nothing to do with being a party in the operation. It oversees what is done there.

“NAHCON should not determine hajj fairs for states. Why will NAHCON license private tour operators and license states pilgrims, boards and produce a template for the hajj fair for them and announce it.

“That is not its business, otherwise they can as well, announce fair for tour operators. It's not NAHCON business to to do that,” he said.

Siddeeq said that the states go round, get the standard of accommodation that they need for their pilgrims, adding that having a template with 3000 as the benchmark for accommodation in Makka by NAHCON does not make any sense, because the accommodation is not the same.

In his submission, a legal practitioner, Mr Mohammed Unar said that the old hajj law, gave sole authority to the commission on hajj operations.

He said that section 23 of the NAHCON Act 2006, allows the commission a transition period to remain in operation pending when private sector operators will be licensed to run hajj operations.

He explained that the clause did not provide a clear dateline for the transition period and when the commission should hands off operations, saying the commission is hiding under the clause to continue to run hajj operations when private operators had been licensed.

Unar urged the National Assembly to amend the Act and clearly limit NAHCON to regulatory activities only and prohibit the commission from participating in operations.