President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday appointed Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as the new Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the appointment is subject to Senate approval in accordance with Section 3(2) of the NAHCON Act, 2026.

“President Tinubu sent a letter today to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, requesting the expeditious confirmation of Ambassador Yusuf to replace Professor Abdullahi Usman, who resigned this week after about 14 months in office,” the statement said.

Ambassador Yusuf is a seasoned Nigerian career diplomat who served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Türkiye from 2021 to 2024.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Alhaji Zikrullah Olakunle Hassan as the chairman of NAHCON in 2020, but he was forced to proceed on compulsory retirement leave in 2023.

His successor, Jalal Arabi, assumed office in an acting capacity in October 2023, but was sacked in August 2024.

A few weeks later, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman was appointed. He subsequently resigned on February 9, 2026.

Challenges ahead

Ambassador Yusuf is taking over the reins of the commission at a time when preparations for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage are in top gear. He will also be working with board members who have outlasted two chairmen since the current board was constituted in 2023.

The first chairman under the board, Jalal Alarabi, was sacked over allegations of misappropriating the N90 billion subsidy provided by the government to cushion the cost of the 2024 Hajj.

His successor, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, resigned amid allegations of abuse of office and misappropriation, among others.

Although the current leadership change comes after the completion of key agreements with service providers responsible for accommodation, flights, transportation and logistics for the 2026 Hajj, Yusuf’s diplomatic experience will be crucial during the airlift phase.

Outbound and inbound flights remain among the most challenging aspects of the pilgrimage. Securing favourable departure and arrival slots for Nigerian airlines often requires diplomatic engagement.

Another major hurdle is the persistent cloud of corruption that has hovered over the commission. Despite not receiving budgetary allocations for its operations, NAHCON generates revenue from licensing tour operators and levies charged on pilgrims. However, limited disclosure of its financial records has created opportunities for malfeasance.

The secrecy surrounding the utilisation of these funds has, over the years, raised concerns about transparency and prompted investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of previous leaders.

There have also been allegations that Nigerian pilgrims do not receive services commensurate with the high fares they pay. Details of contract agreements between the commission and service providers remain largely unknown to stakeholders.

For tour operators, the new chairman inherits strained relations. Some operators have accused the commission of failing to release full refunds of the caution deposits they are required to pay annually.

For the 2026 Hajj, operators said they are yet to receive the 6,000 slots reportedly promised by the former chairman, even as the deadline for pilgrims’ data capture approaches.

While these challenges have shaped—and in some cases marred—the tenures of previous chairmen, it remains to be seen whether Ambassador Yusuf will introduce reforms that restore confidence in a commission often embroiled in controversy, as competing interests jostle over funds meant to ensure optimal service delivery to guests of Allah in the Holy Land.

New NAHCON chief

Born on July 7, 1962, at Mubi, Adamawa State, Ambassador Yusuf graduated from Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, in 1985 with an Honours degree in Political Science. He completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme at the Ijebu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in 1986, and immediately gained employment into the Foreign Service in December 1986.

He attended several advanced professional courses and rose to the rank of Director in 2013. He was subsequently appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Turkiye in 2021. Ambassador Yusuf played a pivotal role in accelerating the strategic relationship with Turkiye, focused heavily on defense, security, Trade and investment, and industrial collaboration.

In the course of his career trajectory, he served in various capacities, including at Nigeria diplomatic missions in Argentina, Italy, and China. At the headquarters, he handled various roles across directorates, including analysis, operations, training, administration, as well as pilgrims’ affairs, where he anchored the secretariat of the Presidential Committees on Hajj (PCH) from 2002-2007.

Earlier in 2005, Yusuf served as secretary of a high-level federal government delegation to study Hajj arrangements in Malaysia and Indonesia. This was based on the extraordinary efficiency demonstrated by both countries in Hajj matters over the years. Ambassador Yusuf was also the secretary of two successive federal government delegations (Amirul Hajj) in 2012 and 2013.

From 2011- 2013, following deployment to the Presidential Villa, Ambassador Yusuf worked as Special Assistant on Presidential Matters – office of the Chief of Staff to the President. The schedule of duty included summary/analysis of memos and assisting the COS in the management of the President’s programmes.

Ambassador Yusuf is proficient in Hausa, Yoruba, Igala, English and Spanish languages. (Daily Trust)

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