Federal Government of Nigeria has approved four airlines to serve as the designated air carriers for Nigerian pilgrims attending the 2025 Hajj.
Gatekeepers News reports that this announcement was made by Prof. Abdullahi Usman, the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on Sunday.
The selection process involved a review of 11 applications from various airlines, and the following four were chosen: Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas (a Saudi Arabia-designated airline), Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd. This decision came after a comprehensive screening conducted by a 32-member committee formed by NAHCON on November 26, 2024.
The Aviation Screening Committee included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, three members from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and one representative each from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Also, members from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) participated in the screening.
The committee also featured one member each from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), along with NAHCON Board members from each geopolitical zone, as well as heads of various departments within the commission.
In addition to the airlines, three excess cargo carriers have been selected to support the Hajj operations. These carriers are Aglow Aviation Support Services Ltd, Cargozeal Technology Ltd, and Qualla Investment Ltd.
Prof. Usman congratulated the successful companies, emphasising the importance of fulfilling their responsibilities as outlined during the selection process. Furthermore, he represented the Nigerian Government in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the 2025 Hajj with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The signing ceremony took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat, representing the Kingdom.
