By Our Reporter
The Federal Government has approved Air Peace and three other airlines as official air carriers for the forthcoming 2025 Hajj pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Prof. Abdullahi Usman, Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), announced the approval in a statement issued by the commission’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, Mrs. Fatima Usara, on Sunday in Abuja. According to Usman, these four airlines will be responsible for transporting Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The selected airlines are Air Peace Ltd., Max Air, UMZA Aviation Services Ltd., and Fly-Nas, a Saudi Arabian-designated carrier. Usman explained that the airlines were chosen following a thorough and rigorous selection process carried out by a 32-member team commissioned by NAHCON. This team evaluated 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims.
The screening process, which began in November 2024, involved representatives from various agencies, including the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB). Additionally, representatives from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were included in the evaluation.
Prof. Usman congratulated the successful airlines and urged them to honor their commitments by fulfilling their responsibilities as outlined during the screening process.