The Chairman of Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has resigned following pressure from the Presidency and a formal petition from the commission’s board. His departure comes amid widespread allegations of corruption, administrative failures, and a direct warning from Saudi Arabian authorities that Nigeria’s Hajj operations had become critically compromised.
The resignation was confirmed Monday, days after Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabbiah, visited Abuja and expressed serious concerns about NAHCON’s leadership. Insiders report the minister refused to visit NAHCON’s headquarters during his trip, a significant snub attributed to the chairman’s reported inadequacies. Subsequently, the Saudi Hajj ministry had established a special team to monitor Nigerian pilgrim operations following the disastrous 2025 Hajj season managed under Usman’s tenure.
The NAHCON board had submitted a formal petition to President Bola Tinubu demanding Usman’s removal over alleged misconduct. This aligned with persistent complaints from state pilgrims boards, tour operators, and multiple investigative reports by Nigerian anti-graft agencies. Usman, appointed in late 2024, faced daily interrogations from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding allegations including the mismanagement of billions of naira in pilgrim funds and the failure to secure proper accommodations and services.
Within NAHCON, staff members expressed relief at the resignation, describing his 18-month tenure as marked by controversy and alleged corruption. Some indicated plans for celebratory gatherings, stating the commission had become “synonymous with corruption.” Reports also surfaced that Usman had planned, but did not execute, a DSS operation to confiscate staff phones in an attempt to stifle internal leaks.
The resignation has intensified discussions about the commission’s future leadership. Hajj stakeholders, including those in Saudi Arabia, argue the next chairman must be a seasoned administrator with expertise in logistics and planning, not a cleric. They emphasize that Hajj management is a technical operation requiring proven managerial competence to restore confidence ahead of the 2026 pilgrimage. Religious leaders have also urged President Tinubu to appoint a neutral, non-sectarian professional to avoid further discord.
President Tinubu reportedly gave Usman the option to resign following advice from key presidential aides, effectively forcing his departure. As of late Monday, NAHCON had not issued an official statement on the resignation. The commission now faces the urgent task of reorganizing its leadership and operations to meet the upcoming Hajj season’s stringent Saudi requirements, with billions in funds and thousands of pilgrims’ plans hanging in the balance.
