The Chairman and CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf was among select global dignitaries invited to attend the official reception and luncheon hosted by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz,
in honor of distinguished guests of the Kingdom during Hajj 1447.
The event held on 29th May, 2026 at the Royal Palace in Mina, near Makkah, on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, brought together international Islamic leaders, diplomats, and Heads of National Hajj Missions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the royal reception, Ambassador Yusuf commended the Saudi government for their continuous commitment to enhancing excellent hajj experience for millions of pilgrims through innovative investments in infrastructure, security, and implementation of digital solutions for crowd management. “It is an honor to meet and greet the Crown Prince, and witness first hand, this extra-ordinary royal hospitality”, the NAHCON Chairman stated.
He disclosed that the gathering provided rare opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties, and share ideas with related global dignitaries on best practices in hajj administration and management.
The Chairman reiterated NAHCON’s dedication to transparency, efficient service delivery, and enhanced pilgrim welfare for the remainder of the Hajj operations. He assured that the commission’s monitoring teams are working diligently to ensure the best standard of care for Nigerian pilgrims.
The Chief Justice of the Federation
Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON, and the Hon. Minister of Information and National Orientation Alhaji Mohammed Idris were among the distinguished special guests hosted by the Saudi Arabian government.
Suwaiba reports from Mina Saudi Arabia