Nigeria Approves Four Airlines for 2025 Hajj Operations
The Federal Government has approved four airlines as the official air carriers for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2025 Hajj exercise.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, through a statement released on Sunday by the commission’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Usara.
According to Usara, the selected airlines—Air Peace Limited, Fly-Nas, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Limited—were chosen from a pool of 11 companies that submitted applications to handle the airlift of Nigerian Muslim pilgrims.
The selection process was conducted by a 32-member screening committee inaugurated by NAHCON on November 26, 2024.
The committee’s members included representatives from various stakeholders, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
Usara emphasised that the rigorous screening process was aimed at ensuring that only qualified and reliable airlines were selected to provide seamless transportation services for the pilgrims.
In addition to the official air carriers, three excess cargo carriers have also been approved for the 2025 Hajj operations.
These include Aglow Aviation Support Services Limited, Cargozeal Technology Limited, and Qualla Investment Limited.
The commission highlighted that the inclusion of cargo carriers is to ensure that pilgrims’ luggage and other essentials are adequately handled throughout the Hajj exercise.
“The excess cargo carriers will work alongside the approved airlines to manage pilgrims’ baggage, ensuring that all items arrive safely and on time,”.
