The Saudi Arabian government has officially closed its electronic visa portal for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage, resulting in 2,717 Nigerian intending pilgrims being unable to participate in this year’s sacred journey.
These individuals had made full arrangements with various licensed private tour operators, holding onto hope for a last-minute reopening of the portal—particularly following the intervention of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Despite the concerted efforts by NAHCON to persuade the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to reconsider its decision and allow further visa processing, the expectation was ultimately not fulfilled. The Saudi authorities maintained their stance, leading to widespread disappointment among late applicants.
In an official statement issued by Fatima Sanda Usara, Assistant Director of Information and Publication at NAHCON, the Commission expressed sympathy and urged those affected to remain spiritually encouraged.
“We console the pilgrims who were unable to secure their visas this year. Hajj is a divine invitation, and those who could not go should take heart, knowing that participation is ultimately determined by Allah’s will,” the statement read.
NAHCON stressed that it had made several attempts to prevent such a scenario. As early as February, the Commission had stepped in to secure additional Masha’ir slots for both public and private Hajj sector coordinators. It also repeatedly facilitated deadline extensions in an effort to accommodate latecomers.
“From the beginning of the Hajj registration process, NAHCON made substantial efforts to ensure that no intending pilgrim was left behind. The Commission successfully lobbied for four deadline extensions—ranging from fare remittance to visa processing windows,” the statement noted.
However, many pilgrims failed to meet even the extended deadlines. Despite multiple notices indicating that April 19, 2025, would be the final day for visa issuance, a significant number of applicants delayed their payments and registrations.
Responding to mounting pressure and last-minute requests, NAHCON once again appealed to the Saudi authorities for additional time. This request was graciously approved, granting a one-month extension, which allowed both State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and private tour operators extra time to finalize preparations.
Unfortunately, by May 19, 2025, the visa issuance system was permanently closed, effectively halting the process. At that time, 13,217 visas had already been granted to pilgrims registered under private tour companies out of a total of 14,158 applications—indicating high participation levels in the private sector. The closure therefore impacted the remaining 2,717 pilgrims who had yet to receive their visas.
NAHCON has since reiterated its advice to all prospective pilgrims to plan their Hajj journey well in advance and to comply strictly with published deadlines.
The Commission identified late payments and delayed applications as the primary causes of the unfortunate situation, cautioning that such last-minute practices could result in avoidable disappointment.
As the dust settles on this year’s challenges, NAHCON has pledged to review and strengthen its operational processes to prevent future occurrences and ensure smoother coordination for subsequent Hajj exercises.