The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that 7,263 Nigerian pilgrims have successfully been airlifted to Madinah, Saudi Arabia, as the 2025 Hajj transportation enters its second week. Since operations began on May 9th, a total of 18 flights have departed from six major Nigerian airports – Lagos, Abuja, Bauchi, Minna, Owerri and Kebbi – using four designated airlines. The airlift has seen particularly strong participation from Bauchi State, which has transported 1,322 pilgrims across three flights, followed closely by Kebbi State with 1,283 pilgrims and Oyo State with 1,079 pilgrims. However, several northern states including Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara and Borno have yet to commence their pilgrim transportation.
The breakdown shows:
- 4,390 male pilgrims
- 2,873 female pilgrims
- 6 flights operated by Flynas
- 5 flights by Max Air
- 4 flights by UMZA Air
- 3 flights by Air Peace
NAHCON has praised the smooth coordination so far while urging remaining states to expedite their preparations to meet the Hajj schedule. In a related development, Ondo State just dispatched its first batch of 316 pilgrims on Monday, with more expected to follow in the coming days as the airlift operation continues to gain momentum ahead of the Hajj rites in mid-June.
Why this matters:
- Demonstrates Nigeria’s large-scale Hajj mobilization capabilities
- Highlights varying state preparedness levels
- Shows gender participation trends (60% male, 40% female so far)
What’s next:
- Remaining states expected to begin airlifts this week
- NAHCON monitoring for any logistical challenges
- Final pilgrim numbers expected to surpass 50,000 Nigerians
