- NAHCON urges State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards to finalize grouping of 45 pilgrims and upload data to e-track portal
- Saudi Arabia’s new Hajj measures require pilgrims to be grouped into 45-member groups for visa issuance, coordinated by state boards
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has called on State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, commissions, and agencies to finalize the grouping of pilgrims into 45 groups and complete data upload to the e-track portal by Friday, April 26, 2024.
According to a statement by NAHCON’s Deputy Director of Information & Publications Division, Mousa Ubandawaki, these groupings are necessary for facilitating visa issuance through the Saudi Visa e-track platform.
The directive aligns with Saudi Arabia’s mandatory policy on Tafweej grouping for the 2024 Hajj movement. Saudi Arabia has introduced new measures for this year’s Hajj operations, including the compulsory grouping of pilgrims into groups of 45 for visa issuance.
Pilgrims who wish to travel together are encouraged to coordinate with their respective state pilgrims’ welfare boards to be grouped accordingly. This ensures that they can travel with their desired companions.
It’s important to note that these 45 groups will remain together throughout the Hajj journey, from departure from Nigeria to accommodation and movement in Makkah and Madinah, as well as during Masha’ir activities and the return journey to Nigeria.
NAHCON emphasized that this is the final opportunity for intending pilgrims to make arrangements for group travel for the 2024 Hajj operations. After the specified deadline, pilgrims will be confined to their selected group members, and their visas will be processed together.