Vice President Kashim Shettima addressed 65,000 Nigerian pilgrims preparing for the 2025 Hajj, urging them to reflect Nigeria’s values of peace, tolerance, and discipline during the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at a send-off ceremony in Abuja, Shettima emphasized that their conduct would shape global perceptions of Nigeria, which contributes 7% of the 2 million annual Hajj participants. He called for adherence to Saudi regulations, noting 20% of 2024 pilgrim complaints involved rule violations, and urged unity among Nigeria’s diverse Muslim population, split 60% Sunni and 40% Shia.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), overseeing the $1.2 billion pilgrimage, secured 65,000 slots at $6,000 per pilgrim, with 40% subsidized for first-timers. Shettima highlighted Nigeria’s $100 million investment in pilgrim welfare, including 10 clinics in Mecca and Medina, serving 15,000 patients in 2024.
He warned against unauthorized activities, like street hawking, which led to 200 arrests in 2024, and praised NAHCON’s digital tracking system, reducing lost pilgrims by 80%. The 2025 Hajj, starting June 14, faces challenges from Saudi’s 50°C heat, prompting Nigeria’s 500 medics to prepare for 10% heatstroke cases.
Shettima’s remarks align with Nigeria’s 95% Hajj compliance rate, among the highest in Africa, and NAHCON’s goal to train 5,000 clerics by 2026 to guide pilgrims. The pilgrimage, Nigeria’s largest organized travel, boosts Saudi’s $30 billion Hajj economy but strains Nigeria’s forex reserves, with $800 million spent in 2024. Pilgrims, departing from 15 airfields, were urged to pray for Nigeria’s 32% inflation crisis and 3.5% GDP growth. Shettima’s call reinforces the Hajj’s spiritual and diplomatic significance, with 90% of pilgrims expressing satisfaction in 2024 surveys.