The Lagos State Government has assured the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that it would meet up with the December 5 deadline remittance of the fares for the next year’s Hajj exercise.
The assurance was given by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode while receiving NAHCON officials led by the National Commissioner South West, Dr. Tajudeen Oladejo Abefe.
Layode stated that the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has intensified efforts at getting more patronages in order to surpass the 1,500 slots allocated to the state by NAHCON, saying that the directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the reduction of the Hajj fare has further encouraged more intending pilgrims to apply for the exercise.
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Speaking on the money paid on behalf of the 93 intending pilgrims who were denied visas during the 2025 exercise, Layode told the NAHCON officials that the money has not been refunded, stressing that the state had written a letter of intention to retain the slots for the 2026 exercise. He, therefore, urged them to assist the state in this regard.
He assured the visitors that with the support of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Kadri Hamzat, the state would make the necessary remittances before the deadline to make the performance of the spiritual exercise seamless for her intending pilgrims.
Speaking earlier, the NAHCON National Commissioner said they were in Lagos to discuss with the state in respect of the deadline for remittance of the Hajj fares.