The Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has given pilgrims who have paid their Hajj fees but are yet to submit their e-passports until September 5, 2026 to complete the process or risk losing their slots for the 2027 Hajj.
The Director General of the Board, Abubakar Ibrahim Matawalle, announced the deadline on Monday during an interview with members of the Kano Correspondents Chapel at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Center in Kano.
Matawalle warned that pilgrims who did not present their e-passports by the deadline would have their payments refunded, while their places would be allocated to waiting pilgrims.
He revealed that about 200 pilgrims were already on the waiting list, with their passports and checks worth N7.6 million, in addition to the required Hajj fee, ready to be processed.
“Anyone who does not meet the deadline will be automatically replaced,” warned the Director General.
He explained that the decision was necessary to enable the board to meet the deadlines set by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and avoid losing unused spaces.
READ ALSO: Hajj 2026: Kano pilgrim board assures planned pilgrims timely yellow cards
Matawalle further warned that any space left unused after September 10 would be taken over by NAHCON and reallocated to states requiring additional spaces.
The Director General said the board had reviewed the challenges encountered during the previous Hajj operation, particularly delays in accommodation arrangements, the issuance of pilgrim identification cards known as “Masuk” and air transportation arrangements.
He assured pilgrims that measures had been taken to prevent a repeat of the delays experienced in obtaining Masuk cards.
According to him, the identification card is essential because it allows the Saudi authorities to correctly identify pilgrims and helps them avoid difficulties during their stay.
Matawalle said he took office at a critical period when preparations for the pilgrimage were already behind schedule, noting that important arrangements such as visa processing, Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) and sensitization of pilgrims should normally have started a month or two earlier.
Despite the challenges, he said the board worked around the clock, even during Ramadan, to clear outstanding paperwork and meet deadlines imposed by NAHCON and Saudi authorities to upload pilgrims’ passports for visa processing.
He said Kano secured visas for all the 3,600 allocated pilgrims within the required period during the previous Hajj operation.
Matawalle said his administration had reviewed previous arrangements and identified areas where deficiencies occurred, with a view to improving the 2026 Hajj operation.
He listed among his top priorities decent accommodation, food, medical services and the general well-being of the pilgrims.
The Director General also revealed that the number of accommodation facilities for Kano pilgrims would be reduced from about nine or ten houses previously used to only two houses for the 2026 operation.
He said the move would allow board officials to monitor pilgrims more effectively, provide them with essential services and respond quickly to their needs.
Matawalle revealed that Kano’s allocation had been reduced to 3,050 pilgrims following a reduction in the overall Nigerian Hajj quota by the Saudi authorities.
He explained that Nigeria previously received an allocation of 90,000 pilgrims, but in the end only about 50,000 were transported because some states did not use the allocated slots.
According to him, Kano has already exhausted the 3,050 allotted places, making it necessary for the board to replace any pilgrim who does not complete the required documentation.
On accommodation in Saudi Arabia, Matawalle acknowledged that the board may not be able to secure facilities very close to the Grand Mosque, but assured pilgrims that the distance would be considerably better than what they had previously experienced.
He also said the junta had engaged the airline to ensure that Kano pilgrims would not again be among the last groups to be flown to Saudi Arabia.
“Last year, we were almost the last people to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia. This time, we will never be the last. If we can’t be the first, we will definitely be the second or we will be in the middle,” he said.
The Director General urged all pilgrims who had paid their fees but had not yet submitted their e-passports to do so before the September 5 deadline.
He also appealed to pilgrims to cooperate with the board, complete their documentation quickly and comply with all official directives to ensure a smoother and more organized Hajj operation.
WATCH THE BEST VIDEOS FROM Newslodge TV