The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has announced that the return journey of Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia will now be completed on Tuesday, July 2, 2025—four days later than the initial target of June 28.
The Commission attributed the delay to airspace congestion and several flight cancellations, which had slowed the pace of operations despite a recent boost in available flight slots for Nigerian carriers.
According to The PUNCH, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Usara, the commission explained that although flight operations had picked up, challenges beyond its control necessitated the extension.
“Since June 22, Nigerian carriers have been allotted up to seven daily flights in a 2-2-2-1 ratio,” Usara said. “However, due to congestion in the post-Hajj airspace and other unforeseen issues, the completion of return flights will now likely be on or before July 2.”
NAHCON disclosed that out of the 41,668 Nigerian pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Hajj, over 27,000 have already returned home. The commission noted that this figure does not include those who made their way back via regular commercial flights due to pressing personal commitments.
Offering a breakdown of the remaining pilgrims, Usara stated that Max Air still has 6,019 passengers to bring back, using two wide-bodied aircraft with a combined capacity of 1,120 seats daily. UMZA Aviation Services is responsible for 4,850 pilgrims, serviced by aircraft seating 484 and 312 passengers respectively. FlyNas is set to transport 2,480 pilgrims with a daily capacity of 819, while Air Peace has 1,635 pilgrims left, using a 315-seat aircraft.
“The Commission remains committed to ensuring that all pilgrims return home safely and as early as possible,” the statement added.
NAHCON urged pilgrims and their families to remain calm and assured them of continued updates as the operation progresses.
