Ogun State says Gateway Air is ready to transport Hajj pilgrims
Authorities in Nigeria’s Ogun State have announced that the state-owned airline Gateway Air is ready to transport Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Governor Dapo Abiodun said the carrier could serve not only pilgrims from Ogun but also pilgrims from Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, Premium Times Nigeria reports.
Abiodun stated the position during a meeting with a delegation from Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), led by Commissioner for Operations Anofiu Elegushi. According to him, the state will consider opportunities to participate in a Hajj air transport model with more active private-sector involvement.
Transport from Gateway Airport
The governor said Ogun authorities had previously expressed a desire to charter an aircraft under the Gateway Air brand to transport pilgrims directly from Gateway International Airport to Saudi Arabia. He also thanked NAHCON for its assistance in transporting pilgrims from Ogun State during the previous Hajj period.
Abiodun supported NAHCON’s proposal to create a joint structure of Nigeria’s southwestern states modeled on Oodua Investment. It could represent the states as a private operator and coordinate Hajj-related operations. The governor said he would present the proposal to other members of the Oodua Investment Group.
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Quotas and registration
Elegushi said registration for the upcoming Hajj had already begun and that its deadline is planned to be extended to register more interested people. According to him, Saudi Arabia requires advance data on the number of pilgrims to prepare for the trip.
The commissioner said Nigeria’s Hajj quota had previously been about 95,000 places but was reduced to 50,000. Of these, 10,000 are allocated to tour operators, while the remaining 40,000 are distributed among the states. He linked these changes to the Saudi Vision 2030 program, under which the kingdom seeks to expand private-sector participation and digitize Hajj and Umrah operations.
According to Elegushi, a company must provide at least 2,000 pilgrims to operate independently, making it difficult for individual states in southwestern Nigeria to meet this requirement. He also said payments for the upcoming Hajj must be completed by December 2, 2026, while air transport is expected in late April or early May. Saudi authorities, he said, have introduced about nine new medical requirements, including screening pilgrims for nine specified diseases.
