Umrah 2024: NAHCON struggles with Visa shortage, seeks collaboration with Saudi authorities for resolution

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said it is discussing with Saudi Arabian authorities to resolve the Ramadan Umrah visa shortage. A statement yesterday in Abuja by the commission’s spokesperson, Fatima Sanda-Usara, said: “NAHCON’s Saudi Liaison Officer has engaged in multiple discussions with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah over the situation. Though these discussions have been constructive, she affirmed that the visa allocation follows a computerized system. The assistant director of Public Affairs also said the commission “will continue to work tirelessly in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to find a satisfactory resolution to the visa inaccessibility. “The statement explained that the high demand for Umrah visas during Ramadan further exacerbates the shortage. It also disclosed that NAHCON has officially written a letter communicating its concerns directly to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, outlining the implications of unavailable visas for Nigerian tour operators. More so, the chairman of NAHCON, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, has personally visited the Saudi Embassy in Nigeria to explore potential solutions to this matter.”