The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that the return phase of the 2025 Hajj airlift is now expected to conclude on Tuesday, July 2, 2025—four days later than the initially projected date of June 28.
This update was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the commission’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Usara. The extension, she explained, is due to earlier disruptions caused by airspace congestion and flight cancellations, though recent improvements in operations have been recorded.
According to NAHCON, Nigerian airlines have seen a boost in slot allocations since June 22, allowing up to seven daily flights in a 2-2-2-1 arrangement.
However, despite this increase, operational delays have pushed back the expected completion date.
“As of now, over 27,316 of the 41,668 Nigerian pilgrims who traveled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj have been airlifted back to the country,” the statement noted, adding that many others have returned through commercial flights due to urgent personal commitments.
Providing a breakdown of the remaining pilgrims per airline, the commission stated:
Max Air has 6,019 pilgrims left, with two wide-bodied aircraft capable of transporting 1,120 passengers daily.
UMZA Aviation Services has 4,850 pilgrims, using two aircraft with a combined seating capacity of 796.
FlyNas still has 2,480 pilgrims to transport, with a daily capacity of 819 passengers.
Air Peace is responsible for 1,635 pilgrims, operating an aircraft with 315 seats.
NAHCON reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all pilgrims return home safely and as quickly as possible, barring any further unexpected delays.