The Federal Government has approved four airlines as official air carriers to transport intending pilgrims for the 2025 hajj pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In a statement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Usman and released by the commission’s Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Mrs Fatima Usara, on Sunday in Abuja.
Usman emphasized that the four airlines were adequately selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Muslims pilgrimage.
The NAHCON Boss stated that the four approved airlines are Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas, a Saudi Arabia designated airline, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd
Usman said further that the selected airlines were screened and shortlisted by a team of 32 members that were inaugurated by the NAHCON on Nov. 26, 2024.
He said that the composition of the Aviation Screening Committee included representatives from State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, three members from Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and one member each from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
He also said that some members of the committee were drawn from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).
Others, he listed, were NAHCON Board members representing each geo-political zone of the country, NAHCON Heads of Aviation, Procurement, Legal, Internal Audit, Special Duties, representative of Nigeria Customer Service (NCS) and that of Independence Corrupt Practice and other related Commission (ICPC) as well as Board Member representing the Aviation industry.
The NAHCON boss also disclosed that three excess cargo carriers were selected for the hajj operations.
He named them to include; Aglow Aviation Support Services Ltd, Cargozeal Technology Ltd and Qualla Investment Ltd.,
The Chairman of the commission congratulated the successful companies, urged them to fulfill their responsibilities as promised during the screening.
