The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has commenced the nationwide verification exercise for private tour operators as part of its preparation for the 2026 Umrah and Hajj operations.

NAHCON said this in a statement issued by its information officer, Shafii Mohammed, in Abuja on Monday.

Mr Mohammed said that the exercise followed the recent inauguration of the committee on licensing and verification of private tour operators by the NAHCON chairman, Abdullahi Usman.

He said that the committee had the mandate to verify and assess all applications submitted by licensed and intending tour operator companies seeking accreditation to participate in the forthcoming pilgrimage season.

“The verification exercise, which kicked off in Kano, is being conducted by a delegation from the commission’s Tour Operators Unit under the Operations, Inspectorate, and Licensing Department (OILS).

“The team is visiting companies’ offices to inspect their facilities, documentation, staffing and compliance with the operational guidelines stipulated by the commission,” Mr Mohammed said.

He quoted the NAHCON chairman as saying, during the inauguration of the committee, that the commission would be firm on compliance.

The NAHCON boss said that the integrity of Nigeria’s Hajj and Umrah operations rested largely on the credibility of licensed tour operators.

According to him, the verification exercise is expected to extend to other geopolitical zones in the coming days, covering all registered and intending tour operators nationwide.

He said that with this exercise, NAHCON remained committed to strengthening oversight and ensuring that Nigerian pilgrims receive the highest standard of service and protection throughout the 2026 Hajj and Umrah operations.

He said that such service and protection would be extended to pilgrims travelling under state boards, as well as those using private operators.

(NAN)