Tinubu Government Selects Airlines and Cargo Companies for Pilgrims
President Bola Tinubu has given approval to three airlines to exclusively transport pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage. The designated carriers are Air Peace Ltd., FlyNas, and Max Air, as announced by Fatima Sanda-Usara, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs for the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
In addition to the airlines, the Federal Government, under Tinubu’s leadership, has also approved three air cargo companies—Cargo Zeal Technologies Ltd., Nahco Aviance, and Qualla Investment Ltd.—to handle the airfreight of pilgrims’ excess luggage. Sanda-Usara emphasized that these approvals demonstrate the government’s commitment to ensuring a smooth and secure pilgrimage experience for Nigerian pilgrims.
The allocation of pilgrims to the approved airlines is based on the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Air Peace will transport pilgrims from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kwara, Ondo, Rivers states, and the Federal Capital Territory. FlyNas will handle pilgrims from Borno, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Yobe, and Zamfara states, while Max Air, with the highest allocation, will be responsible for pilgrims from Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Oyo, Taraba, Kaduna, Armed Forces, Gombe, Jigawa, and Plateau states.
Sanda-Usara noted that state governments have the option to designate any of the approved air cargo companies to transport their pilgrims’ excess luggage. She highlighted the upcoming signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the 2024 Hajj on January 7, where the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, will lead a delegation from NAHCON.
Mallam Jalal Arabi, the Chairman of NAHCON, commended the selected airlines and urged them to prepare for a successful pilgrimage season, emphasizing NAHCON’s commitment to maintaining high standards in pilgrimage organization to ensure the safety and satisfaction of pilgrims.
Source: Peoples Gazette
