Nigeria, Sept. 20 -- The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has defended the allocation of 15,000 slots to private Hajj tour operators for the 2027 pilgrimage, saying the slots were allocated to duly licensed operators working under seven approved lead companies in accordance with Nigerian regulations and the guidelines of the Saudi authorities

It also urged the seven private tour operators to comply with the latest requirements of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, particularly the 26 September deadline for uploading prospective pilgrims' biometric and registration details on the Nusuk-Masar platform.

NAHCON clarified that the Saudi authorities set the deadline, and therefore, it (the commission) has no power to extend it....