The Nigerian Presidency has officially approved four airlines—Air Peace, Max Air, UMZA Aviation Services Limited, and Saudi-based Fly-Nas—as carriers for Nigerian pilgrims traveling for the 2025 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement was made in a statement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria on Sunday evening, signed and shared by the Commission’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Fatima Sanda Usara.
Additionally, three cargo operators—Aglow Aviation Support Services Limited, Cargozeal Technology Limited, and Qualla Investment Limited—have been selected to handle cargo-related operations for the pilgrimage.
In her statement, Usara noted, “The Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prof Abdullahi Saleh Usman, is pleased to announce that the Presidency has approved four airlines as official air carriers for pilgrims of the 2025 Hajj. These carriers were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications for the airlift of Nigerian Muslim pilgrims. The selected airlines are Air Peace Limited, Fly-Nas, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Limited (in alphabetical order).”
According to the release, the airlines were chosen by a 32-member screening committee established by NAHCON on November 26, 2024.
The panel included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
Also part of the team were delegates from Nigerian Customs Service, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and NAHCON board members representing Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
Usara revealed that Prof. Usman extended his congratulations to the successful airlines, urging them to uphold the commitments made during the selection process.
Meanwhile, NAHCON also finalized its 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah during a ceremony held in Jeddah.
Usman signed on behalf of Nigeria, while Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat, represented the Kingdom.
The Nigerian delegation at the event included Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs; Hon. Jafaru Muhammed Ali, Chairman of the House Committee on Muslim Pilgrimage; Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Riyadh; Ambassador Mu’azzam I. J. Nayaya, Nigeria’s Consul-General in Jeddah; and Ambassador Mahmud Lele from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The MoU solidifies Nigeria’s participation in the 2025 Hajj and establishes operational frameworks for the pilgrimage.
