NAHCON Chairman Abdullahi Usman Resigns Amid Internal Crisis

The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Usman, has resigned from his position.
His resignation was confirmed late on Monday by his media assistant, Ahmed Muazu, who spoke with Premium Times. No official reason was provided for the decision as of the time of filing this report.
Mr Usman, a professor, was appointed NAHCON chairman by President Bola Tinubu in 2024. He supervised his first Hajj operation in 2025, marking his debut in overseeing Nigeria’s Hajj affairs at the national level.
He replaced Jalal Arabi, who was removed from office by President Tinubu in 2024 while under investigation for the alleged misappropriation of funds released for the 2024 Hajj exercise.
Mr Usman’s tenure was brief and marked by controversies that generated internal tension within the commission. Key among the issues were allegations of financial mismanagement and the misappropriation of funds during the 2025 Hajj operations. These claims deepened disagreements among commissioners and attracted public scrutiny.
In January 2026, the crisis escalated when some NAHCON commissioners reportedly submitted a petition to President Tinubu, passing a vote of no confidence in Mr Usman. The petition accused him of leadership failures and poor administrative conduct.
The growing dispute prompted the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who convened a meeting with key stakeholders about two weeks ago in an effort to reconcile aggrieved parties and stabilise the commission.
Mr Usman’s resignation adds a new dimension to the leadership crisis at NAHCON and raises questions about the management of Nigeria’s Hajj operations ahead of the 2026 pilgrimage.