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Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj will begin their return journey to the country on Wednesday, starting with those from Nasarawa State.
An update from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) confirmed that MaxAir flight NGL267 departed Jeddah for Abuja at 09:27hrs carrying 560 Nasarawa pilgrims.
Flynas, a Saudi-designated Nigerian Hajj carrier, said the return airlift would continue on June 4 with pilgrims from Ogun and Kebbi States. According to the airline, the inbound operation will be carried out using six A330 wide-body aircraft to ensure smooth and efficient transportation of pilgrims back to Nigeria.
The first return flight is scheduled to convey the initial batch of Ogun State pilgrims from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to Gateway International Airport in Abeokuta.
The second flight will transport the first batch of Kebbi State pilgrims from Jeddah to Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi on the same day.
Flynas added that two additional flights will operate on June 5, continuing the airlift of pilgrims from Jeddah to Abeokuta and from Birnin Kebbi.
The airline also stated that it successfully transported 11,342 Nigerian pilgrims and officials to Saudi Arabia during the outbound phase of the operation, which was carried out on 30 flights within two weeks.
The Managing Director/CEO of First Planet Travels Limited and the General Sales Agent for Flynas in Nigeria, Alhaji Umar Kaila, said arrangements had been concluded to ensure a smooth, internationally compliant return operation.
He added that pilgrims from Kebbi, Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Niger, Ogun, and Nasarawa States would be airlifted in phases as the return exercise continues.
