The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has announced the approval of four airlines to airlift pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj.
This was announced in a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Publication for the commission, Fatima Usara, on Sunday.
The airlines—Air Peace Limited, Fly-Nas, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Limited—were selected from 11 companies that submitted applications.
According to NAHCON, the selection process was conducted by a 32-member Aviation Screening Committee inaugurated on November 26, 2024, by the commission’s chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman.
“The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prof Abdullahi Saleh Usman, is pleased to announce that the Presidency has approved four airlines as official air carriers for pilgrims of the 2025 Hajj.
“These carriers were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications for the airlift of Nigerian Muslim pilgrims. The selected airlines are Air Peace Limited, Fly-Nas, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Limited (in alphabetical order),” the statement read.
The committee included representatives from the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
Other members were drawn from the Nigerian Customs Service, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and NAHCON’s board and departments, including aviation, legal, and procurement.
In addition to the passenger airlines, three excess cargo carriers were also approved for the Hajj operations.
These are Aglow Aviation Support Services Limited, Cargozeal Technology Limited, and Qualla Investment Limited. Usman congratulated the selected companies and urged them to deliver on their commitments.
In a related development, the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on January 12, 2025, in Jeddah.
“In another development, Prof Abdullahi Sale Usman signed the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on behalf of Nigeria,” Users noted.
Representing Nigeria, Usman was accompanied by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Bello; Chairman of the House Committee on Muslim Pilgrimage, Hon. Jafaru Ali; Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Riyadh; Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo; Nigeria’s Consul General in Jeddah; Ambassador Mu’azzam Nayaya; and Ambassador Mahmud Lele of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Saudi delegation was led by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat.
By Gift Habib @ThePUNCH
