With three leadership changes in two years, stakeholders say Nigeria’s Hajj commission is in urgent need of stability and reform.
Stakeholders in the Hajj industry have raised alarm over persistent leadership crises at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), following the resignation of its Chairman and CEO, Prof. Abdullahi Usman.
Usman, who served from October 2024 to February 2026, stepped down citing personal reasons. But industry players say recurring internal disputes, allegations of financial mismanagement, and political interference are destabilising the commission. Within two years, NAHCON has seen three leadership changes.
Experts argue that beyond individual competence, the system itself needs restructuring. Some have called for the appointment of a strong technocrat or even a sole administrator to reset operations, insulate the Hajj process from politics, and restore transparency.
Operators also lamented confusion over additional Hajj slots, saying billions of naira have been committed to logistics without clarity.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ambassador Ismail Yusuf, a former envoy to Türkiye, as the new NAHCON chairman, pending Senate confirmation.
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