The Nigeria Government has granted permission to three airlines to operate as the only carriers for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.
The airlines that have received approval are FlyNas, an airline based in Saudi Arabia, and Air Peace Ltd. The extra baggage of pilgrims will be airfreighted by three other licensed air cargo carriers. Qualla Investment Limited, Nahco Aviance, and Cargo Zeal Technologies Ltd. are these.
A press release bearing the signature of Fatima Sanda Usara, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria’s (NAHCON) assistant director of public affairs, was provided to media outlets on Friday evening.
The decision also demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring that intended Nigerian pilgrims have a seamless and secure pilgrimage experience, the statement said.
As a result, Air Peace will transport pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kwara, Ondo, and Rivers.
Intentional pilgrims from Borno, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, and Zamfara states will be transported by Saudi airline FlyNas, while the highest-allocated airline, Max Air, will transport pilgrims from Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Oyo, Taraba, Kaduna, Armed Forces, Gombe, Jigawa, and Plateau states.
The statement said that the pilgrims were distributed to the airlines in accordance with the current Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria on the airlift of pilgrims subject to government quota. State governments, however, are free to choose which authorized freight company to use to transport the extra luggage of their pilgrims. In the event that a state makes such an exclusive agreement, the Commission shall be informed of the decision.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage is scheduled to be signed on January 7, 2024, by a delegation from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), under the direction of Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs.