By GARBA MUHAMMAD

The Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has appealed to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to reconsider its decision to reject Nigeria’s request for additional slots for the 2027 Hajj.

The appeal followed the disclosure by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that Saudi Arabia had declined Nigeria’s request for an upward review of its 2027 Hajj allocation.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, IHR urged the Saudi authorities to reconsider their decision and grant Nigeria additional slots to meet the growing demand for the annual pilgrimage.

NAHCON had, in a statement on Thursday, said the Kingdom had declined Nigeria’s request, leaving the country’s quota unchanged despite increasing demand from intending pilgrims across the country.

The Commission said It had formally approached the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for additional slots to accommodate the growing number of Nigerian Muslims seeking to perform Hajj, as well as requests from several State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards.

Nigeria, until recently, had the fifth-largest Hajj contingent globally, with an average allocation of about 95,000 pilgrims.

IHR also called on Vice President Kashim Shettima to use diplomatic channels to engage the relevant Saudi authorities on the matter and support NAHCON’s request for an increase in Nigeria’s allocation.

“Thousands of Nigerian intending Hajj pilgrims are currently in the queue in anticipation of additional slots,” the organisation said.

It expressed concern that many intending pilgrims on the waiting list might not have another opportunity to perform Hajj if they miss the 2027 pilgrimage.

The CSO acknowledged that Nigeria’s previous inability to fully utilise its allocation had been one of the factors affecting the country’s quota.

“We are aware that one of the reasons for the reduction in the allocation of Nigeria’s quota was the inability of intending pilgrims to register on time, so the country was unable to use the quota in recent times,” it said.

However, IHR said the situation had significantly improved, following renewed commitment by Hajj stakeholders to comply with the calendar of activities established by NAHCON.

“Due to the Ministry’s firm stance and the rededication of all Hajj stakeholders in the country to strictly enforce the calendar of activities established by NAHCON, the issue of early pilgrim registration and payments has greatly improved,” the organisation said.

It further noted that NAHCON had implemented operational reforms which, according to the CSO, had contributed to improved and timely utilisation of Nigeria’s Hajj allocation.

IHR also attributed the improvement to increased enlightenment among Nigerian pilgrims, saying they now had a better understanding of the requirements and expectations of Hajj and how to conduct themselves in the Holy Land.

“As a result, our pilgrims now understand exactly what to expect while in the Holy Land, as well as how they should behave to maintain sanity and have little or no negative impact on current operational frameworks in Saudi Arabia,” the statement added.

The organisation therefore urged the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to review its decision and consider Nigeria’s request for additional slots, given the reported increase in demand and improvements in the country’s Hajj administration.