By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has commenced preparations for the 2027 Hajj airlift with a stakeholders’ meeting to review the previous pilgrimage airlift operations and address challenges identified during the exercise.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at the NCAA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, brought together representatives of aviation and Hajj-related agencies, as well as airlines involved in the transportation of Nigerian pilgrims.
Representing the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, was the Director, Aerodrome and Airspace Standards (DAAS) and Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Ahmad Abba, mni. Najomo reiterated the NCAA’s commitment to working closely with relevant stakeholders to review the previous Hajj operations and address identified challenges ahead of the 2027 pilgrimage.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Operations, Inspectorate and Licensing, Prince Anofi Olanrewaju Elegushi, highlighted key challenges encountered during the previous operations.
Elegushi also provided updates on the new Saudi Government policy concerning the proposed allocation of 98 per cent of pilgrims to tour operators, as well as the allocation of states to airlines for the 2027 Hajj airlift.
Representatives of relevant agencies and Hajj airlift operators made presentations during the meeting, including the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and participating Hajj airlines.
The airlines represented included Saudi Air, Flynas, Air Peace, Max Air and Umza.
Members of the NCAA team present at the meeting included the General Manager, Statistics, Research and Development, Maryam Ismail; Deputy General Manager, Cost Recovery, Alhassan Balarabe; Flight Operations Inspector, Captain Ibrahim Yunusa; and other senior officials.
