The Federal Government has approved four airlines as official air carriers to transport intending pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Usman, made this known in a statement by the commission’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Usara, on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
Usman disclosed that the four airlines were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrimage.
According to Usman, the four approved airlines are Air Peace Limited; Fly-Nas, a Saudi Arabia-designated airline; Max Air; and UMZA Aviation Services Limited.
The NAHCON boss stated that the airlines were screened and shortlisted by a team of 32 members that were inaugurated by the NAHCON on November 26, 2024.
He said the composition of the Aviation Screening Committee included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, three members from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and one member each from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
He noted that some members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
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Usman said one member each was drawn from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Others, he listed, were NAHCON Board members representing each geo-political zone of the country, NAHCON Heads of Aviation, Procurement, Legal, Internal Audit, and Special Duties as well as Board Members representing the Aviation industry.
The NAHCON boss also disclosed that three excess cargo carriers were selected for the hajj operations.
Usman named them to include Aglow Aviation Support Services Limited, Cargozeal Technology Limited, and Qualla Investment Limited.
Usman, who congratulated the successful companies, urged them to fulfil their responsibilities as promised during the screening.
Meanwhile, Usman signed the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on behalf of the Nigerian government.
Saudi Arabia was represented by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Abdulfatah Masahat, at the signing ceremony.
The event was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to formalise 2025 Hajj engagements.
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