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The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia for the 2023 hajj exercise.
A major highlight of the document is the confirmation of 95,000 slots to Nigeria for this year’s exercise with 75,000 allocated to the 36 state pilgrims welfare boards/agency/commissions, including the Federal Capital Territory and Armed Forces, while the remaining 20,000 is allocated to the private tour operators.
The MoU was sealed, yesterday, at the Super Dome Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubair Dada, signed the MoU on behalf of Nigeria in the presence of the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, three executive commissioners of the commission: Nura Hassan Yakassai, Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa and Sheikh Suleman Mommoh, and board members and staff of thecommission.
Saudi was represented by its Ministry of Hajj.
In a statement issued after the signing ceremony, Mousa Ubandawaki, assistant director, Information and Publications, NAHCON, said the Nigerian delegation on the sideline of the MoU signing, met with the Mutawwif of African Non-Arab, whose Chairman, Ahmad Sindi, assured the country of their readiness to make the 2023 hajj better than the previous years.
Sindi disclosed his agency in a bid to create more rooms and space to pilgrims, has adopted the use of double-deck bed at the Mashair for some countries and urged the participating countries to work assiduously to achieve a hitch-free hajj 2023.
